


The Scorned Barons' Emotional Support Guardian

by immaculategayvibes



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Adding Tags As I Upload Chapters But The Relationship Tag Is More A Warning Of What's To Come, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And I Was One Of The People To Hate On Reylo Too, Can You Believe I Planned For This To Be Different, Crack Treated Seriously, Did I Make ANOTHER Set Of Guardian OCs? Yes, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, Far Too Seriously Actually, Game: Destiny 2 Season of the Hunt, Gen, Human/Monster Romance, I Blame Tumblr, I Did Not Plan For The Romance But I'm Twenty Chapters In And Said Fuck IT, I Just Really Want To Befriend The Scorn!!, I Love Spider But This Is Going Too Far, Is It Just Me Or Are The Scorn Barons Kinda Cute, Judge Me All You Like I'm Too Busy With My Monsterfucker Fantasies To Care, Less Prank Wars More Working With Enemies Out Of Necessity And Hating It, Mild Language, Moral Ambiguity, OOC Scorned Barons Probably, Oops, Original Character Death(s), Other, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, So He's Going Down, The Fact That That Is A Tag, The Guardian Uses They/Them Pronouns, The YW Is Gonna Kiss A Scorn Baron And Yes I Am Aware Of The Moral Implications, Title Probably Isn't The Definitive Title, Zavala's Dissapointed Dad Speeches(TM), probably, you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:22:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 29,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27863777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immaculategayvibes/pseuds/immaculategayvibes
Summary: Somehow he looks bigger than he usually does. Maybe it’s just because the size of the Barons never really got through to Patch in the heat of battle. And now, standing in front of Fikrul with a cautious peace, they wonder if all the Barons are as tall as their leader.“Well?” Fikrul asks after a short silence."I know we've been enemies for a while now, but I need your help."The Young Wolf joins forces with Fikrul to kill Spider and realize that maybe? The Scorn can actually be their friends.
Relationships: Osiris/Saint-14 (Destiny), Pirrha/Non-Binary Guardian (Destiny)
Comments: 53
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr user pirrha (yea thats his tumblr url) drew fikrul & the guardian adopting crow and honestly I haven't managed to get it out of my head. oops. I'm sorry. this is extremely self-indulgent and I kinda want to kiss a scorn. i should NOT be posting this pro-scorn propaganda on here where the biggest ship is cayde/ofc

Ghost has been strangely quiet since they left Earth. Patch knows why. Of course, they do. It’s the same reason for which they are here, on the Tangled Shore, entering Fikrul’s liar once more. Sure, they killed the Scorned Baron less than a week ago, but how often has Fikrul killed them? It’s a back and forth, really. They come here with their team, Fikrul kills them once or twice, they kill Fikrul, next week they’re at it again. 

They’re alone now. It’s just Patch and Ghost. They’re not here to fight either.

“Fikrul!” Patch calls out right in front of where the first group of Scorn is positioned, specifically staying out of their reach. They don’t kill the Scorn, maybe Fikrul will be a little more...amicable. 

Their comms click, and there’s static. For a moment, they wonder if Fikrul doesn’t want to talk to them this time around. He does that sometimes, keeping suspiciously quiet all throughout the Strike as though it makes a difference when Patch and their fireteam kill him in the end.

“Come to kill me again?” Fikrul then asks. He doesn’t seem irritated at least. That’s good. He by no means sounds happy to hear Patch’s voice, but that...may change.

They bite their lip to suppress the grin that’s threatening to appear on their face. “No,” they say, and they can swear they just made eye contact with the Chieftain here. 

“What brings you here if not for your useless attempts at killing me?”

“I want to talk.”

Fikrul is quiet again, static taking over again. 

Patch fears the comms may click again, signaling the connection is gone. That happening would mean that Fikrul did, in fact, not want to talk to them. 

And the Scorn really is their final bet. If this doesn’t work out…

Then the Scorn in front of them vanish. All at once.

“Very well.”

That’s...strange. They expected more suspicion. 

Still, they can’t look a gift sparrow in the engine. It’s not like a trap will kill them.

“What if that trap kills me?” Ghost asks absently.

Patch didn’t even notice Ghost tuning into their thoughts. They look at him as they make their way through the now empty halls. “Then we probably deserve it for being stupid,” they say lightly.

“You’re being stupid. I told you this was a bad idea,” Ghost shoots back. 

Patch doesn’t have an answer for that. Ghost is right, of course. It was Patch’s idea to go to Fikrul of all people.

They hadn’t told anyone either. Everyone thinks they’re either on Europa or hunting with Crow. Those are, after all, the only two things they have been doing these past two weeks. Moving back and forth between Europa and the Reef, sleeping on their ship. Sometimes their fireteam joins them, other times it’s just them and Crow or Elsie. 

It’s enlightening, really, to hear what people have to say when they’re alone with one person rather than an entire fireteam. 

They finally make their way to the back room, where Fikrul is waiting on them. He is leaning on his spear.

Somehow he looks bigger than he usually does. Maybe it’s just because the size of the Barons never really got through to Patch in the heat of battle. And now, standing in front of Fikrul with a cautious peace, they wonder if all the Barons are as tall as their leader.

“Well?” Fikrul asks after a short silence.

Patch realizes they’ve been staring and shake their head. “I know we’ve been enemies for a while now,” they start. What do they do with their arms? Cross them? No, that looks too stand-offish. Fold them behind their back? No, too professional.

They drop their arms. “But I need your help.”

“ _You_ need _my_ help?” Well, at least the disbelief was entirely expected.

“Yes. Remember how me and my friends killed Uldren Sov?”

Fikrul tenses immediately. “Father… I remember. Why?”

“Great. So um… You know how you can bring Eliksni and Scorn back from the dead?”

“...Yes?”

“That’s what happens to Guardians too. Our Ghosts pick a dead person and make them a Guardian. They bring us back to life when we die, heal our injuries… And that...That happened to your father.”

“You mean to tell me Father is of your kind, now?”

“Yes! He was revived not that long after we killed him, I think. I met him last week and he’s… He’s a good kid.” They smile under their helmet at the thought, though their expression immediately sours again. “Spider got his claws on him. Named him the Crow, because we Guardians, we don’t remember our past lives. Crow doesn’t know about anything Uldren did. He’s a blank slate. And everyone is out to get him. Petra will kill him and his Ghost on sight, and I can’t even take him to Earth because Spider rigged his Ghost’s shell to explode should he go too far. I know I killed him in the first place, and I have no right to ask you for your aid, but I can’t just leave him with Spider. I have nowhere else to go. And neither does he.”

It must look so dumb to Fikrul. This tiny Guardian, not even half his height, almost begging him to help them save his father-who-is-no-longer-his-father. 

And still, the tall Scorn Baron kneels before them. He comes closer and sinks through one knee so that they’re on more equal footing. “What can I do?” he asks, as though they didn’t kill him less than a week ago. 

“The Machinist… Elykris. Would she be able to remove or at least help me and Ghost remove that bomb from Crow’s Ghost? I think that should be our first step. Spider wasn’t specific with the details of the bomb, it could very well be possible to remotely detonate it. I’d get it off myself, but I have no clue how. Ghost just puts on his shells himself.”

“She would enjoy a chance to tinker with a live Ghost. Very well. If you can bring Fa-... Crow here, I will see what we can do.”

Patch clapped their hands. “Fantastic! Try not to die in the meantime.”

Fikrul… chuckles? “I do not plan to,” he says as he gets back to his feet. 

And that’s that. Patch walks away with no problem. Neither Fikrul nor the smaller Scorn that surround him, attack them as they leave.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is p short lmao im not gonna do traditional chapters so its just gonna be really long ones and really short ones depending on the length of the scene

The next day, they return to the Shore.

“I need to borrow Crow.”

Spider looks at them for a long moment. “What for?” he asks, eventually, when Patch is shifting their weight between their feet. Left, right, left, right…

They lift their head, forcing themself to meet Spider’s gaze even though it does not matter, not with their helmet on. “I could teach him some fun tricks, but if you don’t want that..,” they croon. “I doubt him knowing how to fight better is not going to benefit you.”

“I suppose... Take him with you. Do not leave the Shore. You know what happens if you take him off the Shore.” So the bomb is remotely detonated. Spider is so busy laughing he doesn’t notice Patch already making their way to Crow. Obviously, Spider can track Crow. It only makes sense for him to track Crow if the bomb is remotely detonated, considering how Crow did get to the Moon without his Ghost blowing up. That means that as long as Crow is on the Shore… 

Unless Spider somehow manages to figure out that they’re working with Fikrul on this, they’re at least safe to make their way to the Scorn liar. Should Spider ask, they can just say they’re taking Uldren on a round. They killed Fikrul merely a few days ago, Fikrul hasn’t really shown his face since then. For all Spider knows, the Scorn liar is now only filled with Fikrul’s subjects. 

“Crow,” they greet as they enter Crow’s little corner of the hideout. 

The other Hunter looks up from whatever it is he was doing at the sound of Patch’s voice. A smile blooms on his face. “What brings you here? I was under the impression your Lure wasn’t charged yet?” he says, although it’s clear just from his face that he’s glad to have their company.

“I got tired of the Crucible.” They laugh. “I’m here because I want to show you something.” They pause. “Spider said I could.”

Something...heavy lifts from Crow’s gaze. Sure, he looked happy to see them in the first place, but he completely brightens the moment they so much as imply a break from work. 

A break from Spider.

It almost hurts not to attack Spider as they leave the hideout, but they have to restrain themself for now.

If everything goes according to plan, he will be dead soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im like 2 chapters ahead i think??? i really want to write one of zavala's classic Disappointed Dad Speeches but idk when im gonna do it. probably soon. its gonna be great


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so im thinking daily updates for now because I'm already five chapters ahead and when I catch up....hahaha lets hope I wont
> 
> also I want to like,,, clarify that this fic isn't as much about saving crow n glint, that's the setup, its more about the aftermath of uh. killing spider, befriending scorn, possibly kissing scorn (I kinda rly want to I'm ngl) and stuff,,,, uh I'm five chapters ahead as I said and its almost turning into an oc-centric thing rather than "befriend the scorn and adopt crow". I'm really hoping I can keep it focused on the scorn & crow and their relationships with patch rather than patch themself but uh. doubt it. also yes patch's fireteam makes an appearance and there will be mentions of o14. 
> 
> ALSO this chapter is 1.4k words

The Scorn are back at their station, but even though they look at the Guardians, they don’t attack. 

Crow lifts his gun. “You brought me here to fight Scorn? We have better things to do, Patch,” he says.

Patch places a hand on the barrel of Crow’s gun and pushes it down. They shake their head. They’re afraid to talk, afraid that Spider is secretly listening through Crow’s comms. Surely he has better things to do, but they can’t help but feel paranoid. What ifs are littering their mind, getting worse the closer they get to the final room.

What if Spider is listening? What if Fikrul changes his mind? What if Spider sees where they are and kills off Glint now? 

“I’ve been wondering,” they say nonchalantly as the two of them walk, “does Spider listen to your comms?”

Crow frowns. “I don’t think he does. He just tracks Glint’s shell. Besides, my comms are off.”

Patch nods slowly. They let another minute of silence pass.

“I’m taking you to see the current leader of the Scorn.”

“What- Why?”

“I spoke with him, yesterday. Asked him for help. With Glint’s shell. If we can remove the explosive, you can be free to do whatever you want instead of working for Spider, and I won’t have to feel so guilty about leaving you every time I go back to Earth or Europa.”

“Patch…”

“If you don’t want to, we can turn around and go hunt some Wrathborn right this second. But Spider is going down, and I’d rather have you safe before I attempt anything.”

“Thank you. But what if it goes wrong?”

“It won’t. Fikrul!”

As though his name is a command, Fikrul appears with Elykris in tow. At least he isn’t dragging along the other Barons to this meeting. Sure, Patch killed all of them, but they killed Fikrul and Elykris too. If Fikrul could bring himself and his right hand back to life, surely he could revive his other siblings as well.

Crow takes a step back. “They’re…”

“Very big, yes,” Patch says with a chuckle. “Those are Fikrul and Elykris.”

“What does he know?” Fikrul asks as he kneels down in front of the two Guardians.

“For now, let’s assume he knows nothing.”

“And his name is...Crow.”

“Yup.” They glance at Elykris. “I got some empty shells lying around at home that I can transmat here if you want to look at those first. Might help.”

Elykris does not grant them the honor of kneeling. She simply looks down at them. “That...would be appreciated, yes.”

Before she even finishes her sentence, Ghost transmats a couple of empty shells into Patch’s hand. They throw the shells at Elykris, and she catches them, looking them over. “Give me a couple of minutes with these,” she says before she vanishes once more.

Patch clicks their tongue and turns to Crow, who still seems a little frozen from all of this. “Do you want to know?”

“Know what, exactly?”

“Your past. The bits I know, at least.” They glance at Fikrul. “Or the Scorn.”

“Should I?”

“I don’t know.” Patch shrugs, looking back at Crow. “Most Guardians likely stem from the Golden Age. No one remembers who we were. Awoken Guardians are a little more complicated. Some of us know where we’re from, know bits and pieces, others do. Depends on if the Corsairs know them. None of us are such a special case as you are, though. You impacted everyone, human, Awoken, Eliksni, Scorn… I would rather tell you about your past before you find out from people who…”

“Why? What did I do?”

“You were Prince Uldren Sov of the Awoken. Nothing you did can determine who you are now, of course, but Uldren was… He was very attached to his sister. When Mara, the Queen of the Reef, Uldren’s sister, vanished, Uldren went insane. Most Guardians already hated him by then because of how rude he was to us, but then he slaughtered half the Reefborn Awoken and killed the Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6. He did this with the aid of the Scorned Barons. This is Fikrul, the Fanatic, their leader, his second-in-command. The one who just left was Elykris, the Machinist. She is Fikrul’s second-in-command.” Patch chuckled bitterly. “Cayde was… Ah, it was complicated. He was my friend, but he was… I don’t know. I don’t really miss him, I suppose. Still, I was the one to come to the Shore and avenge him. I killed Uldren Sov.”

“That woman we encountered in the Divalian Mists was Petra Venj,” Glint said quietly. “She was Mara’s Wrath. I don’t know what she would do should she see you. Don’t know what the Vanguard will do, either.”

“Why bring me back if I was so terrible?”

“Father was not terrible.”

“No,” Glint agreed. “You are not naturally cruel, Crow.”

“Uldren was driven insane by Riven and the Black Garden and the death of his sister. I doubt he was ever a bad person, and you are not him. Don’t forget that.”

“But if they hate me no matter where I go, where do I go?”

“Stay here. Once Spider is down, you can take over his syndicate. You know those Eliksni. You care for them, don’t you? I’m pretty sure you’d be a better boss than Spider.” Patch pats Crow's shoulder. "I can probably get the Vanguard to at least...tolerate you. I just need time." 

"The Scorn bear you no ill will," Fikrul says. 

Crow's eyes are wide as he stares at the Fanatic. "But Spider said-"

"Spider is just… bitter we took over the Tangled Shore as easily as we did." 

Patch looks up and chuckles in surprise. When they are talking like this, Fikrul almost seems normal. Human. “It is true that the Scorn haven’t always been our friends,” they say, quietly, “but they are loyal, I suppose. And they really are our last chance. Lighten up, I’ve already worked with Eliksni and Cabal. Sometimes your enemies and your goals align…” They lift both their arms, moving them from each side until their hands got together, and then they stretch their arms out as though to show the goals colliding and aligning. “And you can work together.”

Crow nods, as though anything Patch just said and gestured makes sense. “I suppose it makes sense. But Glint is alive… What if something goes wrong?”

“You already asked that. And I already told you. _It won’t.”_

“You put an awful lot of trust in them,” Glint says. 

Patch frowns. “I’m putting trust in the fact that the Scorn will probably still do anything for Crow. I’m putting trust in their motivations. I don’t trust them, and-” they look up at Fikrul - “I doubt they trust me.”

“I believe I can do it.” Elykris pops back into the room before Fikrul or Glint can comment. “Quite the fascinating bit of technology, I must admit.”

“No one is going to do anything to you without your consent, Glint,” Ghost then says. “Patch just thought, because they want you both to be free whatever you want to do. We can leave right now if you want to. We will not ever have to look back. But you will have to follow Spider’s every command.”

“We don’t want that for either of you,” Patch adds. 

Crow glances at Glint. “It is your choice.”

Glint looks around the room. “...Fine.”

Elykris chuckles. “Great. Come with me, little Light. Guardian.”

And so the Scorn Baron vanished again, this time with Crow and Glint in tow.

“What will you do once he is free?” Fikrul asks Patch and Ghost once the three are gone.

Patch crosses their arms. “I’m not sure. I didn’t expect to get this far. I’ll probably just return to Earth. I’m sure I know a couple Guardians that I can ask to help me convince the Vanguard to allow Crow in. Maybe I’ll hunt down Spider, but I fear the consequences of doing so. He will go down, but I just… This first.”

“And Fath-... Crow?”

“That depends on what he wants. That’s the point of freeing him.”

Fikrul glances around. “Your...friends. Do they know you are here?”

“My fireteam?” Patch looks away when the Baron nods. “No. Everyone who knows me thinks I’m hunting Wrathborn with Crow right now.”

“You are lying to them.”

“Yes, I suppose I am. I doubt they would be happy with our alliance.”

“...Our alliance?” 

“Well, yes. Is that not what this is?”

“Is it?”

“We’re working together, aren’t we?”

“I am only doing this for Father.”

“And I’m only doing it for Crow. Doesn’t change the fact that we’re working together.”

“Our...alliance. Very well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i consider the first few chapters to be really absurdly quick but uh. that's just how I write I guess. it'll slow down a bit when I get the setup out of the way (hopefully) but who knows


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is really short im sorry hdfsbgf
> 
> anyway my tumblr is @did-not-listen-to-edna-mode so if you have any questions or whatever,,, also I talk about patch n the scorn there. like shitposts kinda talking. its fun. 
> 
> ALSO english isn't my first language. if I do make mistakes or write something creepily similar to dutch (my actual first language) I'm sorry. i used an English phrase (coming up with) in dutch today and my mom looked at me weird and I think that kinda stuff is gonna happen with dutch to English in here rhgddsfh

“I’m surprised none of you ever thought of taking off the shell,” Elykris says as she reappears with Crow and Glint. “The bomb was attached to the shell, not the Ghost itself.”

Glint immediately darts over to Ghost. For a moment, Patch wonders if it is out of fear for the Scorn, if Elykris had done something to him, but judging by Crow’s cautious grin…

“Well, what if it was?” Crow asks, looking up at her. How much did they talk while they were away? 

Elykris crosses her primary arms. “Then we would have exploded.”

Glint freezes in midair.

“But you didn’t!” Patch says loudly, nudging Glint with their elbow. “So you’re free now, aren’t you?”

Crow looks at them. “I… We are, aren’t we?”

Patch laughs. They run forward before anyone can stop them, pull Crow into their arms. 

Crow freezes for a moment before he slowly wraps his arms around Patch’s waist. “I’m...free.” 

“So, what will you do now?” Fikrul asks.

Patch leans back, looking Crow over. If he seemed unburdened when they had told him they could give him a break from his work for Spider, his face with the knowledge of his freedom was indescribable. 

Crow is looking at Fikrul. “I don’t know. We should finish the hunts, but I don’t want to-”

He freezes once more. His eyes grow wide. “Spider,” he mouths, tapping his ear. 

“What is he saying?” Patch whispers, their voice almost inaudible.

Crow can’t respond, of course. “We are on our way,” he says out loud. “Yes, Baron.” He drops his hands, his eyes seeking out Patch’s helmet once more. “He wants us to come back. What if he knows?”

“Then he knows he can’t do anything to you anymore.” Patch grips Crow’s shoulders tightly. “You are safe, Crow. I promise.”

“We could kill him,” Elykris remarks nonchalantly. 

“He’s got so many connections, it wouldn’t work, think of the consequences!” Ghost says, nearly yells. “If we kill him, who keeps the Tangled Shore under control? How will we continue the hunt? Need I remind you you are planning to kill one of our allies?”

“I can do it. With your help, with the Scorn, I can take over the Shore,” Crow says. He clenches his fist. “Spider’s associates, the Eliksni, they know me. Maybe life would even be better for them if they stop fighting the Scorn. Patch, with your connection to the Vanguard and Awoken, and with Osiris… We wouldn’t need Spider. I can do better.”

“And you’re willing to do that?”

“I’m free, aren’t I?” He looks at Fikrul again. “Are you willing to work with me should we kill Spider?”

Fikrul chuckles darkly. “You need not even ask.”

“Good. Let’s go kill a Spider.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lets go kill a spider baybeeeeeeee!!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if anytthing in this fic gets repetitive or like,,, stuff gets mentioned twice,,,, I'm very forgetful but also I don't actually edit. no beta we die like he/theys
> 
> also fun fact. im at chapter 21 rn and it gets real angsty but there's also fun in between I swear. im not just using the premise of this fic to play around with fireteam dynamics and character depth

“Maybe he doesn’t know,” Crow says as the two Guardians make their way to Spider’s lair. The Scorn stayed behind, listening on comms, ready to step in at a moment’s notice. “Maybe he just got tired of waiting for us to return.”

“Maybe. Does it matter?”

Crow sighs. “No, I guess it doesn’t.”

“Do you not want to be free from him?” 

“I do! I just… I don’t like killing anyone.  _ Anyone.  _ It just… It gives me a bad feeling.”

“You don’t have to kill him, you know. I’ll do it. The Barons will probably do it. You’ll never have to kill anyone anymore, not if I have anything to say about it.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

“Friends.”

Patch pats Crow’s shoulder. “Yeah. We’re here. We can do this. You can do this.”

Crow takes a deep breath.

The two Guardians make their way inside. The long hallway only serves to make Crow more nervous until they finally stand before Spider and his body freezes over completely. Not out of fear, but rather because that is how he always stands before Spider. Every single expression wiped from his face and body, any and all weakness hidden behind what looks more like stone than a person.

“Took you long enough,” the don says, lifting his gaze from the empty Ghost shell in his hands to the two Guardians now standing before him. “What took so long, little bird?”

“We lost track of time,” Patch says. “It happens.”

“Don’t do it again.”

“Keep you waiting? No, never again. That I can promise,” Crow says.

“I sure hope you can. You know what happens if you disobey my orders.” Spider gestures with one of his free hands, forming an explosion with his fingers. He laughs, then. 

Crow may not like the idea of killing anyone, but Patch will revel in watching the light leave Spider’s eyes once he dies. 

“About that…” Crow says, pulling a tiny, almost invisible thing from his pocket. He throws it at Spider.

Spider catches it. “What is this…? Oh, the little bird found a way to break its cage? How endearing. What will you do now? You have nowhere to go.”

“I don’t have to go anywhere.” Crow’s confidence grows with every word. “Fikrul?”

The Fanatic’s laugh echoes through the room as he appears inside, filling almost the entire space with just his body. 

Spider, for once, actually seems taken aback. “How did you…”

“We disabled the barrier,” Patch says with a shrug. “You’d be surprised how quickly Fikrul was willing to help when I told him you were holding his reincarnated father captive.”

“I must say I did not expect you of all people to befriend the Scorn, Guardian,” Spider remarks. “I suppose this is to be a reckoning, then?”

“It is. Do you have anything left to say for yourself before we kill you?” Crow says.

Spider chuckles. Takes a shuddering breath. “You will never control the Shore. I gave you a home, a job, a purpose. You think the Guardians, the Awoken, the Scorn, will be better? You believe yourself free now, Crow? There is nothing out there worth more than I could offer you.”

“You put a bomb in my Ghost. You lied to me. Anything you could offer me? You could offer me nothing worth anything. In the week I’ve known Patch I have had more than in the time I spent working for you. Even if the Guardians and the Awoken hate me, I will prove to them otherwise. I am done working for you.” 

“And yet you don’t even have the strength to kill me by yourself.”

“Crow…” Patch murmurs, but Crow lifts his hand.

“I don’t need to kill you by myself. I’m not alone anymore.” Crow lowers his head. “I have nothing more to say to you or hear from you. Fikrul, if you please…”

Fikrul lifts his spear. Arc energy darts in and out of the blade. He presses it to Spider’s throat and laughs. “What is that human saying? What goes around, comes around?”

And then it’s over. Spider slumps in his seat and his associates, his guards, stare at the two Guardians and the Scorn Baron in fearful silence. Even they would not risk their lives defending someone like Spider from Crow. They know Crow, undoubtedly. 

Crow swallows audibly. “What now?”

Patch laughs. “We dispose of the body.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> told you my writing always goes too fast


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *disappointed zavala noises*
> 
> yes this is a crackfic. with a crackship. with ooc barons (probably). but im nearing chapter 30. and it gets so angsty.

“Guardian.”

Patch freezes. They turn to Zavala. They had returned to the Tower to speak with Osiris and possibly Saint as well, but they had hoped to avoid the actual Vanguard. “Commander.”

“I suppose you are not going to tell me what you have been doing lately?”

“Probably not. Why?”

“Because I heard from your fireteam that you ran off by yourself two days ago and they haven’t seen you since.”

Robin-6, the Warlock, and Brooke, the Titan. The three of them have been a team since Patch’s second mission. It makes sense that they would be worried when they leave by themself. They know how Patch has been acting strange since Cayde’s death, even stranger since Europa and meeting Crow.

They hadn’t been seen by any of their friends on Earth in two days, and that was, to be honest, enough for Robin and Brooke to worry. The fact that they went to Zavala instead of calling Patch hurt a little, but they suppose it makes sense. Zavala already has been worried about them for two years. Hell, maybe even since they had gone to the Black Garden all those years ago. Who even knows. There is no specific point at which Zavala started worrying about Patch. 

“I’ve been working. I don’t know how much Osiris told you about the situation in the Reef, but I have been working on that by myself. Is that so bad?”

“It is not, usually. It is when even your closest friends come to me about it.”

“Then I will tell them. Can I please speak with Osiris, now?”

Zavala sighs. “Of course. He is in the hangar with Saint. I just hope you are taking care of yourself.”

They smile. Of course, they are. Killing someone over hurting someone you’ve known for a week is self-care, isn’t it? “I am.”

“Then I will not pry any further. Please do speak to your fireteam.”

“I will.”

Zavala dismisses them with a nod and walks back to his usual spot to watch the Traveler, the City, whatever it is he watches, once more. Before Patch looks away, they can see his face twisting into a frown as a young Light speaks to him.

Huh.

They make their way down to the hangar. Sure enough, Osiris is sitting on the steps that lead into Saint’s ship as the Titan talks animatedly. If anything, the Warlock looks amused. It’s almost sweet.

Osiris’s gaze turns to Patch, and he says something to Saint, at which Saint turns around and waves at them.

Patch laughs as they approach. “It’s good to see you, Saint,” they say. 

Saint pulls them into a hug. “You should visit more often, Guardian!” he says brightly, before releasing them.

The Hunter stumbles backward. “I will,” they say. “But for now I really need to borrow Osiris.” 

Osiris gets to his feet. “Is this about…” he says, drifting off. Does Saint not know?

“Yes.”

“Very well. We can discuss this on my ship.” The old Warlock looks at Saint. “I am...sorry.”

Saint waves a hand. “Ah, go. We have all the time in the world.”

Do they really?

Even Osiris seems unconvinced, despite smiling at the Titan before he leads Patch to his own ship. 

“Well?” he says once they’re inside. The ship is rather spacious. 

Patch seats themself on the seating lining the walls. “We killed Spider.”

Osiris raises a brow. “You...killed him. Is Crow alright?”

Interesting how his first thought is of Crow. Should they ever want to get Crow on good terms with the Vanguard, clearly Osiris (and by extension, Saint) will be a great help in doing so. 

“Okay, don’t...yell at me. But two days ago I went to speak with Fikrul, the Fanatic. He and his second-in-command helped us. Elykris managed to get the bomb off of Glint’s shell and then we just...killed Spider. Simple as that. Crow knows the simplified version of his story and why everyone will find him suspicious no matter where he goes. Right now he is in the process of taking over the syndicate. I can help him in his contact with the Awoken and the Guardians, but I thought maybe you should know. My fireteam is next, but I don’t think I’ll tell them about the Scorn. Robin was a lot closer to Cayde than I was. He already struggles to accept Crow, let alone the Scorn.”

"You befriended the Scorn?" 

Patch looks away. "'Befriend' is a big word. I told Fikrul his father was reincarnated and he agreed to help me save Crow. That's all. If there's anything Fikrul cares about, it's his family." 

"How long will you be able to hide who took over the Shore from the Vanguard and the Awoken?" 

They sigh. How long indeed? "As long as I have to," they say, but they sound unsure. They know they do. 

"We could probably convince Petra that Crow is good," Ghost says. "I don't know how we'd explain an alliance with the Scorn to anyone, but Crow is a good person. Even those who hated Uldren the most will probably like Crow." 

"I hope you know what you are doing, Guardian." 

"Me too." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i literally cannot write stuff involving osiris without showing o14 into it


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay the hawkmoon quest reminded me!! i cant make this canon compliant!! in the fic where im at rn its already almost dawning dfakjgfda (or it is already dawning im not sure) and also the fact that i need to keep things interesting (also for myself) and uh. story updates in the game take too long. 
> 
> ok im at the step of like. kill ppl in gambit/crucible and im at like 35% in that but i quit for the day BUT what i wanted to say. i cried. so much. throughout every bit of that quest. but also uhh more reason for corruption arc for patch baybbeeeeee

Their fireteam is next. The three of them share an apartment within the City, so finding Robin and Brooke isn't exactly difficult.

It's dark by the time Patch reaches the apartment. They enter.

Ghost almost instantly transmats their armor away, putting them in a hoodie and sweatpants instead. They'll get back to the Shore tomorrow.

The noises from the TV are audible from the hall. Oh.

One glance at the marked calendar in the hall shows that tonight is, in fact, movie night. One look at the clock tells them that they are almost an hour late.

Oh.

Surely enough, Robin and Brooke are huddled together on the couch. There's a blanket thrown over them and both their Ghosts are snuggled up against their necks.

It's Brooke who looks up first. She glances at Patch. "Look who finally decided to drop in," she says, her brow raised. 

She speaks quietly.

Is Robin asleep? 

"I need to talk to you guys," Patch says, just as quiet. 

Brooke pats the empty space on the couch beside her. "After the movie."

Patch sighs, but they know better than to argue with Brooke, so they make their way to the couch and sit down beside her. 

She hooks her arm around their shoulders and that's that.

They watch the movie in silence. It's one they have seen before, but it is pretty good, so they don't mind. 

Ah, it is getting pretty late…

Huh.

Patch jerks awake. Brooke groans beside them. Or rather, half under them. Robin is likely in the kitchen, and the two of them probably fell over once Robin had managed to wring himself free. It's not an uncommon thing for them to wake up like this. 

They climb off of Brooke, who still doesn't wake, and make their way to the kitchen.

Robin presses a cup of coffee into their hand. "So. Where have you been?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest. He is leaning against the kitchen counter, eggs sizzling in a pan on the stove just behind him. His own cup, standing next to what Patch assumes to be his plate with a half-eaten sandwich, is already empty. 

"I told you I was going to the Reef, didn't I?" they ask with a shrug. They take a sip of their coffee. "I didn't lie about that." 

"But you did lie about the hunts," Robin points out. He eyes Patch for a moment as their mouth falls open and their eyes widen, before he clarifies, "I asked Osiris. He said you didn't join in a single hunt in the past two days. So if you were on the Shore, but you weren't hunting Wrathborn, what  _ were  _ you doing?" 

"We killed the Spider." 

"You...what?" Brooke is in the doorway when Patch turns around. "Just like that?" 

Patch nods. "We found a way to free Glint and Crow and we took it." 

"So now the Shore is leaderless," Robin says slowly. He lifts the pan off the stove and slides the eggs onto the open sandwiches on two separate plates before handing both Patch and Brooke a plate and turning off the stove. He sets the pan down.

"Crow took over," Patch says, before biting into their sandwich. 

Brooke frowns. She chews slowly, swallows. "I thought we didn't want the Awoken or the Vanguard to know about him." 

"Osiris and Saint can probably convince the Vanguard that Crow is good. As for the Awoken… I promised Crow I'd handle it. Petra views us as her friends. If we can show her that we trust Crow… Maybe she'll warm up to him." 

"Uldren slaughtered half her people." 

"Uldren also killed your best friend, do you blame Crow for that too?" 

Robin freezes. He should have expected that point the second he'd even mention Uldren, but clearly, he didn't. "I'm reminded of it every time I see his face. You  _ know  _ I hate working with him. I told you that the first time we did. But I restrain myself. Because Crow is your friend and I know he's not Uldren. That doesn't hide the fact that Uldren killed half the Awoken people." 

"We can just give him a helmet." 

"His voice? Clothes?"

"Glint can talk for him and he needs a makeover anyway. We’ll figure it out.”

Robin slumps against the counter once more with a drawn-out sigh. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes i do surprise myself with how much my talking/typing changes depending on whether im writing or making notes or tumblr posts. im AWARE. its weird. brain empty. im too attached to his fic and taking it far too seriously for it to be a crackfic BUT I don't care.
> 
> ANYWAY meet robin n brooke. they're cool. robin-8 is an exo warlock with maybe a little too much interest in the darkness n he was close to cayde and he likes cooking I guess??? and brooke is the human titan mom friend. shes trying. they play a role in the fic (a pretty big one) but uh... idk. yeah. if you cant tell robin would have probably been the cause of one of crow's deaths if he had encountered him alone. brooke doesn't know what to think. shes sweet. i love them
> 
> this isn't me providing information you cant get from the fic I just really like talking about my destiny ocs sfgadjghdksj


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fact that people are reading this is INSANE because its literally just me simping for the fucking scorn & crafting a little too much angst (you'll see) but to everyone whos here for the shitshow now, uh... welcome. here are the scorn. and a li'l plot. i swear theres an actual story to this. the fact that you will only catch up to where im at now in 3 weeks is wack but hey. maybe it'll feel less rushed through if you dont write all of it in an hour because youre hyperfixating
> 
> ive been home sick since the day before i started this. im starting to think it was the gods giving me more time & energy to write it because as we saw in quarantine, my inspiration and enjoyment in writing goes up by a LOT when im not going to school. school is exhausting.

“Patch!” Crow greets them as they arrive on the Shore. He is alone. “I saw your ship. How did Osiris and your team take it?”

It’s strangely quiet in Thieves Landing. For what has to be the first time since they avenged Cayde, it seems like at the very least this place is under control. The few enemy Eliksni that opposed Spider, opposed the Guardians, have likely fled to a different part of the Shore where the combined forces of the Scorn and Syndicate are less prominent. The High Plains, perhaps? 

“Nothing I didn’t expect. Osiris was just worried about you and the consequences, and my team… I didn’t tell them about the Scorn, and Robin is still a little distrusting of you, but they took it pretty well. They’ll be here in a bit, Zavala wanted them to do something. They didn’t tell me what it was. I’m guessing that’s what I get for lying to them.”

Crow leads Patch to the entrance to the Scorn stronghold. Huh. “I don’t like that you have to lie for me,” he says. 

“I’m doing this because I want to, kid,” they say, the “kid” slipping out of their mouth with little thought attached to it. “You don’t have to feel guilty.”

“You’ve known your fireteam for way longer than you’ve known me. They are your friends-”

“And you’re not? Robin and Brooke can handle themselves. They’ll understand in time, I promise. Robin was just...close with Cayde. He is going to hate having to work with the Scorn.”

“He doesn’t have to. We can meet in the hideout while the Barons stay here." 

Patch is silent, looking at Crow. He's taken up the role of leader easier than they expected. 

Crow looks away. "It was Fikrul's idea." 

The older Guardian snorts. How this shy, humble Lightbearer was once the ruthless prince of the Awoken is beyond them. 

They had spoken to Uldren a couple of times before Mara died and he went insane. He had been rude, arrogant, and ready to kill Patch's fireteam at a moment's notice. 

Crow had nearly kept them, or rather, Fikrul, from killing Spider, because he didn't like causing death. Even the death of someone who was never anything but horrible to him. 

"Look who finally decided to join us," a heavy voice drawls as they enter a large room that Patch has never seen before. The voice comes from Pirrha, who is currently sitting on the table in the center of the room, one foot on the table and the other dangling off of it. He is leaning on his crossbow, which is currently between his thighs.

Ghost vanishes from sight almost instantly. 

"I brought Patch," Crow says, moving to lean against the wall. 

Nearly every Scorned Baron is here. Every single one, except…

"You couldn't bring Hiraks back, could you?" Patch asks, looking at Fikrul. 

Fikrul looks at them in silence for a long moment. Long enough for Patch to think he isn't going to answer, until… "No. I could not." 

He sounds remorseful. 

"How did you guess?" Elykris asks from her corner, where she seems to be toying with...something. It looks like City tech. 

Patch crosses their arms. "Those with Throne Worlds are immortal until you kill them in their Throne World. I've killed a Hive god or two."

"So we have a godkiller in our midst," Pirrha damn near croons, leaning forward. 

"That is...a title of mine, yeah." 

"I'd expect more bragging from a godkiller," Yaviks remarks. She is also sitting on the table, although she is sitting cross-legged and a little behind Pirrha. 

Patch shrugs. They tend to not really care about their titles. They do what they have to, for survival, for Sol. If that includes killing gods, well. 

"They are humble," Fikrul says, looking straight at Yaviks. 

She looks at him.

"You could learn from them." There's a smile in Fikrul's voice as he says it. 

Yaviks scoffs. "I am plenty humble." 

"Oh, really?" Elykris adds something in their language, at which Yaviks turns to glare at her. 

"No...killing the playmate again?" Kaniks asks, dumbfoundedly. He is sitting on the floor, a bomb in his hand. 

How long has he been sitting like this? 

Everyone looks at him. Even Elykris and Yaviks, who seemed to be about to fight, turned to him. 

"No, Kaniks. We are not killing them," Fikrul says slowly, articulating every word a lot more clearly than usual. Even they treat Kaniks as a child. A dangerous child with multiple bombs tied to him, but a child nonetheless. Though there is no mockery in how Fikrul speaks to Kaniks. 

It's just his brother with the mind of a violent child. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“Patch?” Crow mutters to Patch. 

Patch looks at him. What is it now? He sounds a little worried. Scared, even. 

“What  _ did  _ you tell Osiris and your team? If they’ll be here soon…”

“Osiris knows everything. I told him about how I went to Fikrul for aid, I told him we killed Spider and that you took over. My team only knows we killed Spider and that you took over on the Shore. I can probably come up with an excuse for why the Scorn aren’t on the Shore or attacking us.”

“We have better things to do than chase Lightbearers around all day,” Araskes says. She is sitting on the floor. “Though I am going to miss blowing you up.”

“I just want to say,” Patch says, looking at her, “I did not like the exploding fake exotic engrams.”

Araskes cackles. “That was the point!”

Patch is about to continue complaining, when a click in their ear marks a connection to their comms. 

“We’re on our way to the Shore. You’re gonna tell us, yet?” Robin says.

They look at Crow. “No,” they say. “We’ll meet you at Thieves’ Landing.”

“Great! See you there!” Brooke says cheerfully, nothing like the tension between Robin and Patch.

Their comms click again, the static dissipates. 

“We should get going,” they tell Crow. “Robin and Brooke will be here any minute.”

Crow nods. “Alright. Let’s go, then.”

He transmats away, likely to Thieves’ Landing, and Patch follows quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so plot is good but uh
> 
> *chanting* sibling dynamics sibling dynamics sibling dynamics sibling dynamics sibling dynamics sibli


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay if theres some wonky stuff with capitalization throughout the fic, im still figuring out what should be capitalized and what shouldn't. also im bad at writing action scenes. im sorry. i usually avoid them in my writing all together bc I cant describe actions for shit
> 
> this chapter is literally just platonic angst between the 3 ocs im sorry

“So, what are we hunting today?” Robin asks. 

Patch waves a hand. “The usual, probably. Crow?”

“Yes. I hope you brought your lures.”

“I got all three charges,” Brooke says. “Let me guess, Patch, you got none?”

“I wasted them all the second I got to three the last time,” Patch says with a snort. “But it’s fine. We’ll use yours and Robin’s. And then we can go into the Crucible for a bit and do it all again tomorrow.”

Robin sighs. “Will we ever get closer to the High Celebrant? It feels like we’re just killing the same four Wrathborn, over and over again, and nothing changes.”

“Things like these take time. We just...have to keep going,” Patch says, but they sound unconvinced themself. The high of killing Spider, of freeing Crow, is slowly dissipating. Who knows how many Wrathborn they have to kill before the High Celebrant shows himself? And even then, the High Celebrant is just a servant of Xivu Arath. She can simply send another should they kill this one. Yes, killing this one means avenging Sagira, but what then? They didn’t kill Savathûn. They’re probably not going to kill Xivu Arath anytime soon. 

“But how much time, Patch?” Robin asks as they start making their way to the Cryptolith once more. Crow stays back. He does so almost naturally. As though it hasn’t really registered that he is free in his mind either. 

Patch shakes their head. “I don’t know.”

Brooke takes the lead, putting down a lure. “Stop complaining. How often have we reached our goal in a week?”

The conversation dies when the Wrathborn Servitor appears. Patch throws a Duskfield grenade at it. The Servitor and the Eliksni it surrounds itself with look at them and start to shoot, but it’s only so long before they all freeze. Patch laughs softly. They don’t consider themself to be particularly cruel, but there is a certain degree of amusement they get from watching their enemies freeze up. 

Robin shakes his head at the sound of Patch’s laugh, but he pulls out his rocket launcher anyway and shoots at the Servitor. 

The Eliksni around it all shatter into pieces, and a circle appears underneath the now unfrozen Servitor. Brooke takes her chance, unsheathing her sword and slashing at the Servitor until it vanishes.

“I wonder if the Wrathborn remember who they were,” Crow mutters while the three Guardians pull out their sparrows and start following the patches of corrupted energy.

“Even if they remember, they have no control over themselves,” Osiris says to that, and when did Osiris join them? “If they remember, we are doing them a favor.”

“I suppose…” 

The three Guardians make their way to the entrance to Sjursrest once more. 

“Always here, huh?” Robin asks. “Let me guess, it’s an absurdly tall Fallen.”

“You don’t have to do this, you know?” Patch says, crossing their arms, glaring at Robin.

“Can we do this after the hunt?” Brooke steps between the two. She looks at both of them. “Please.”

Patch is the first to move, shooting at the Hive goo keeping them from Sjursrest. Thrall come at them, but they're no match for the quick Hunter. Not to mention Robin and Brooke stepping in. Well, that's good, at least. 

They make their way inside, and surely enough, once the Servitor is down, Savek appears surrounded by Shanks and two Servitors.

Patch can hear Robin's groan, but they ignore it. Might as well. Starting a fight during a fight is bad, especially in a Darkness Zone. 

They throw both their shurikens at the Servitor to their left while Brooke kills the Shanks and Robin goes for the Servitor on the right. These ones are a lot less sturdy than the one they always encounter when they set down the lure for the first time.

Brooke jumps into the circle that Patch's Servitor drops and starts shooting at Savek.

By the time Robin's circle dissipates, one shot from his rocket launcher kills the Wrathborn. 

"So, I heard you killed Spider," Osiris says as the three Guardians get ready to transmat back to Thieves' Landing. 

"We did. Why?" Crow responds, a little suspicious. Does Osiris know that Robin and Brooke don't know about the Scorn? He has to. Did they tell him? Why can't they remember? 

"How did you do it?" Robin cuts in, looking straight at Patch.

Patch merely shrugs. "We took the bomb off of Glint's shell. After that, all we had to do was walk in and kill Spider. He tried to manipulate Crow into letting him live, but that didn't work."

"Don't you think it all went far too easy?" Osiris wonders aloud.

"Maybe. Maybe he just realized he'd been defeated." Patch crosses their arms. "Doesn't matter now. He's gone. Crow is free. That's all I wanted to do. Now we can focus on avenging Sagira."

Oh, that renders Osiris silent. 

They return to Thieves' Landing and make their way into the hideout.

"Where have the Scorn gone?" Brooke asks as they are finally in safe territory. The three Guardians take off their helmets. Osiris is here too, standing against the wall beside Crow. They're still in Crow's little corner. He hasn't moved?

Ah. Right. The Scorn lair. 

Does he have a living space there?

Maybe he just doesn't feel like moving.

"I don't know. Maybe they decided they had something better to do than fight us," Patch says lightly. "Maybe they realized Spider is gone and they'd be next."

"Either way, it makes our job much easier," says Crow. It feels strange, the two of them acting like they aren't the only reason the Scorn currently aren't fighting Guardians outside. Acting like the potential absence of the Scorn is a good thing when in reality, their alliance could be so incredibly powerful if only it wasn't for what the Scorn had done in the past.

"I'm worried. What if they attack us while we're too busy fighting the Wrathborn?" Robin mutters. "But hey. You're the Shore expert, clearly, considering the amount of time you've been spending here without us."

"Oh, c'mon. It's not my fault you hate Crow." 

"I don't hate him," Robin says.

Patch is glaring at him again, their chin held high. "Really? Because I seem to recall you openly admitting you can barely look at him."

"Uldren killed my best friend, Patch! You weren't even there, but I saw it happen. I saw Uldren kill Cayde. I don't hate Crow, I hate what he reminds me of!"

“Crow is innocent. Cayde is gone, Robin, get over it.”

“Get over it? _Get over it?_ Just because you have never given a shit about anyone other than yourself doesn’t mean-!” Robin freezes when he realizes what he said. Everyone else is quiet, looking at him with various levels of disbelief.

“I have never _lost_ someone I care about. Don’t you assume I don’t have people I care about. Please, get out.”

“Patch…”

Crow takes over at this. “Please leave, Robin.”

Robin takes a couple steps back, slowly, visibly hurt, before he transmats away. 

The room remains eerily quiet. 

“Patch, you okay?” Brooke asks gently, lifting a hand to place it on Patch’s shoulder.

Patch groans. “I’m fine.” They, in turn, glance at Crow. “Are you?”

“I remind him of his best friend’s killer.” Crow says, looking down at his hands. 

The hands that had pulled the trigger on Cayde-6.

“You didn’t kill Cayde. That was Uldren. You are not Uldren, Crow.”

“But I have his face. And that is enough for Robin.”

“His loss. You’re a good person and a good friend. Don’t let him convince you otherwise. Don’t let anyone. Because they will try. I’m here for you. You saw what happens to those who hurt you,” they say, giving a soft, watery laugh. 

“I know.”

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh look at that. the first story arc has started. only took 9 chapters. im gonna warn you, this fic started as a "I want to kiss scorn and save crow" thing but um. as you'll see. its started to turn into more of a... story? i guess? with patch as the main character and this arc does focus a little more on like,, them and their fireteam i guess? lotta platonic angst. um. oops. how is an exo visibly hurt?? hell if I know. also. lotta timeskips. only of a week at a time, but because of those timeskips, I forgot the hawkmoon quest. and iron banner. and (almost) the dawning. so the hawkmoon quest happens later in the storyline (if it happens, it'll be changed a bit bc. you know. spider's dead and crow's free) but yeah. yeehaw.
> 
> ALSO the hawkmoon lore. im in love with crow. what the fuck. he's sdgjkdfsdg im sorry he's the love of my life


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im uploading this on my phone but uh. chapter 10 huh.

A week passes. Patch and Brooke join the raid on the Deep Stone Crypt, but Robin doesn’t come with them. Since their fight, they haven’t heard from the Warlock. Brooke hates it. They know she does. 

But she also doesn’t want to abandon Patch, and Robin doesn’t want to talk to her as long as she is still friends with Patch. 

Not that she should still be friends with Patch. If anything, Patch wouldn’t blame her for leaving. They go out by themself even more often, often to the Reef. The Tangled Shore. They still do the Wrathborn hunts with Brooke, but at least half the time they spend on the Shore and just in the Reef in general is without her. 

They finally talk with Petra. Mention the fact that the Spider is dead. That there is a new leader on the Shore who prefers to remain anonymous for the time being. Tells her that everything is under control, nothing will change other than the way they work together.

Petra doesn’t mourn Spider. Of course she doesn’t. Why would she? She even smiles at them when they tell her about his death. “Good,” she just says. 

And that’s that. She says she doesn’t mind working with someone who stays anonymous, although it does confuse her and she admits that it makes her a little uncomfortable. “But,” she says, then, “if they have your blessing, I doubt they can be that bad.”

If only she knew.

Working with the Scorn is less horrible than they initially expected. Sure, there is a mutual lack of trust, but there is not a single moment that they feel like the Barons are about to attack them. If anything, helping them subdue the Cabal and Hive still living on the Shore is...fun. They go out when the Guardians aren’t here.

“Try not to get in my way,” Pirrha tells them and the other Barons over comms. Patch glances up at his sniper’s nest, where he almost has finished setting up. 

Yaviks cackles loudly. “If you can keep up!” she shoots at Pirrha before she gets on her Pike and races off, leaving nothing but a line of fire in her wake. 

Kaniks and Reksis Vahn are next to run off. Neither of them say anything, but Kaniks’s laughter is almost as loud as his grenades as he makes his way into one of the many smaller caves the Cabal have moved into.

“Guardian!” Araskes calls out in a singsong voice, throwing something at them. 

They catch it mindlessly, look down. It’s… “Shit!” they yelp, quickly throwing the fake engram at a group of Cabal. “I thought we ended the production of these!”

Araskes laughs. “They are easy to make!”

It’s...weirdly endearing. This is a side of the Barons Patch didn’t get to see back when they were enemies. They are so quick to change, too. Their fight was never with Patch, or their fireteam for that matter. 

And just like when friends kill each other in the Crucible, they don’t hold that grudge. Sure, some of the Barons were a little annoyed with the fact that Patch and their fireteam had killed them the first time, but no more than Guardians when they are defeated in the Crucible.

It really had been all a joke, just a fun family trip to them, when they killed Cayde and went to take over the Reef. 

Well. They acted like it. Fikrul and Elykris had stayed behind with Crow, but the other five seemed to be having a blast.

And when Brooke asks, the next time she is on the Shore, “Why are there so little Cabal all of a sudden?” Patch merely smiles and says that Guardians have been busy.

She doesn’t need to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok but writing the scorn barons like this???? very fun 10/10 recommend


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok im sorry but elykris was my favorite baron for a WHILE and i just think shes rly cool and yes i am pulling favorites that is why youll barely ever see reksis vahn or kaniks its because. idk. brain doesnt add them and this fic is just me letting my brain do things

“When did you get that sword?” Elykris asks as Patch wanders into the Scorn Lair.

Patch grins. They almost forget to be cautious. The Lament, their new sword, is too shiny and they have been waiting to show Elykris since they got it. They pull the sword from where it’s tied to their back, lifting it for the Scorned Baron to see. “Golden Age tech,” they say proudly. “There is a facility full of it on Europa, got this from a gigantic Exo head.”

“Does it also do something?” the Baroness asks, sitting down on the floor in front of the Guardian to look at the Sword better.

Patch takes a step back. “It does this,” they say, they themself giddy to show off. The sword roars to life. They let it go for a bit, before slowly letting the chainsaw part of it stop so they can lower the sword.

Elykris is wide-eyed. Patch almost thinks she’s afraid, when she leans forward. “Can I hold it?”

Patch raises their brow, but hands it over nonetheless. 

Her clawed fingers glide over the blade. “It’s magnificent,” she says in awe. “You say there is more like this?”

“There is a surprisingly well-preserved facility on Europa. I’m sure Elsie won’t mind if I bring some stuff from there back here, if you’d like.”

“If I’d like? I would love that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Patch!” Crow greets as he and Fikrul approach. They walk side by side, and for a moment they can only see Uldren and Fikrul. They have never seen this confident stride on Crow.

It’s good.

“The Awoken have reported that Dul Arath is active again. Can you and Brooke put him down?”

Elykris hands the sword back to Patch as the Guardian turns to Crow and Fikrul. She stands up, once again towering over them. 

“Way ahead of you, kid. Brooke is already on her way.” They pat Crow’s shoulder. “Thank you for reminding me, though.”

“What, losing track of time while hanging out with the Scorn now?” Crow asks, falling into step beside them as they start to walk to the exit of the Lair.

Patch snorts. “Much as I hate to admit it… They can be pretty fun.”

“They’re very useful in keeping the Shore under control. I’m just worried about the Eliksni.”

“They don’t like them?”

“No. They’ve lost a lot more to them than we have.”

The older Guardian sighs. “Obviously. You rose after the height of their power and the only one I knew who they killed was Robin’s friend, not mine.”

“This...Cayde. What was he like?”

“He was the Hunter Vanguard. He was loud, and active. He hated being stuck in the Tower as much as Zavala hated when he got out. You couldn’t get around him. If it wasn’t Cayde himself, there would always be someone nearby who mentioned him. He was rude, too, I think. He didn’t mean to come over as mean, but he was almost incapable of keeping his mouth shut. I like to think it’s the reason he died, he just couldn’t help but butt in on something he shouldn’t have. I wasn’t there when he died, so I don’t know. He was my Vanguard, but he was Robin’s friend. I always hated how he never took anything seriously, but Robin trusted him with his life. He was loved, though. If Zavala hadn’t stopped them, Ikora and Robin would have gathered an army to avenge him.”

“You know I don’t know Zavala or Ikora, right?”

Patch pauses. “I forgot. You’ve never been to the Tower, have you? Zavala and Ikora are the remainders of the Vanguard. Ikora is the Warlock Vanguard, she’s very wise. Very powerful, too. She’s terrifying. Do not get on her bad side. Zavala is the Titan Vanguard and Vanguard Commander. I think he’s exhausted. He certainly seems exhausted. He acts like he has the weight of the Solar System on his shoulders when we are all here, willing to help if he’d just let us. He illegalized the use of Stasis.” They lift a hand, forming a small ice sculpture in their palm. “No one listens. You should see the Crucible. Almost everyone is using Stasis.”

“The… Crucible?”

“Before I was brought back, Warlord Shaxx, a very loud, but very kind Titan brought to life the Crucible. He calls it a place for Guardians to hone their Light. He organizes all kinds of matches, but usually the primary goal is to kill each other. It’s how we train. And how we settle disputes. And how we spend our time when we’re not working.”

“You kill each other for fun.”

“Pretty much.”

They make their way to Thieves’ Landing right before Brooke arrives.

“Hope I’m not late!” she calls out to the two Hunters.

“Right on time, B. You wanna head to the Dreaming City now?”

“Which are we hunting today?”

“Dul Arath. The Knight? He’s been bothering the Awoken.”

“And they want us to kill him. Got it. Let’s go, then.” 

The two transmat to their ship before Crow turns around to transmat back into the lair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really gotta reread these chapters to remember what exactly happens bc im dumb and forget all the time. this part is honestly just filler i think?? im not sure. i just wanted to write tall tech nerd lesbian & dumb tiny bisexual with cool sword to talk about said cool sword


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so ive realized the connection between school and me not having motivation to write and uh. we're going back into lockdown. who knows. maybe this one wont end like the venom fic

“Have you spoken to Robin yet?” Patch asks after yet another week. They’re in the kitchen, doing the last few dishes, Brooke already sitting on the couch. Robin hasn’t shown himself in their apartment either. Half his wardrobe is empty and his armor has been transported to his vault, leaving his room almost bare compared to the mess of clothes and armor it always was.

The door to his room is now permanently closed because neither Patch nor Brooke is willing to so much as look inside. 

It’s the second movie night without Robin.

Brooke sighs. “No. I can’t find him.”

“Where could he be?”

“His ship? Maybe he’s moved to the Moon. Hell if I know.” 

“What if something happened to him?”

“Doubtful. The Vanguard would have spoken to us if they thought his absence was suspicious, and they haven’t, so he’s probably still in contact with them.”

“Then why don’t we ask them?” Patch takes two steps out of the kitchen to look at Brooke. They have a plate and a towel in their hands. Water drips from the plate onto the floor between their feet, but if they notice it, they don’t show it. 

Brooke leans over the back of the couch. She gives Patch a long, hard look. “If Robin wanted to see us, he would’ve come back. You know that.”

“I’m worried about him. How many friends did he have outside of us and Cayde?”

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you told him off for missing Cayde.”

Patch lowers their gaze. “I wasn’t thinking. I don’t think he was, either. He knows I care about him. Doesn’t he?”

“You were gone for two days and pretty much openly admitted you have been lying to us. You haven’t even told me what it is you’ve been lying about.” She lifts a hand as Patch opens their mouth. “Let me finish. I don’t care if you’re keeping secrets. Everyone has secrets. You just don’t act like you care that much. And I know you show it in a different way, but he can’t read that different way. Cayde’s death hit him hard. Then one year later, he thinks he’s safe, he’s fine, he gets the Nightmares shoved in his face. Not to mention the fact that, until like...two weeks ago, we had to fight Fikrul at  _ least  _ once per month. There’s reminders everywhere.”

Patch flinches. They know. They know Robin struggles with Cayde’s death despite the supposed closure revenge brings. They know that the Nightmare of Fikrul was born through Robin’s fears, not theirs, not Brooke’s. They know that seeing Variks on Europa three weeks ago brought Robin back to Cayde’s death. There is no shortage of reminders, and they will likely never stop. At some point, Robin himself has to figure out a way to see these reminders for something other than reminders.

They don’t know what it’s like to  _ lose.  _ They have never lost anyone. Not anyone they were that close to, anyway. They’ll never understand.

“You know, we were worried for you.”

“You… Me?”

“Yeah.” Brooke turns back to the black TV screen. “You took to Crow, didn’t you? You saw a young, naive Hunter and instantly was ready to adopt him. When you said you were going to the Shore for the Wrathborn hunts and didn’t return for two whole days, we already had a suspicion you were planning to free him.”

“Am I that easy to read?”

“Usually, no. Until Crow, Robin and I wondered if you felt much of anything at all.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. So being told to get over the death of your best friend by someone you’ve known for...what, six years? Who has never shown major emotions until they meet the killer of your best friend, reborn… That had to have hurt.”

Patch returns to the kitchen. “I still think we should ask the Vanguard. Just in case. We don’t have to chase him.”

“We’ll go tomorrow. It’s too late to visit the Vanguard now, anyway.”

“Okay,” says Patch, putting the plate and towel down and returning to the living room. They sit down next to Brooke. “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear its not just fireteam angst. please. i dont know how to write slowburn romance so i just stretch it out with ✨they probably talked in the timeskips✨ and other storylines 
> 
> that said this arc did get a little bit out of hand and probably should have happened later on for reasons but hey!! why outline when you can bullshit your way through and upload the first draft?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think the dawning chapters fall on the days after dawning but uh.... oops?? like i think 36(?) is the obligatory solstice filler chapter and this is 13 so.... yeah. oops

“Robin? I haven’t spoken to him in a while,” Ikora says when the two approach her the next morning. “I have seen him in the Tower.”

“Do you know anyone he might have spoken to?” Patch asks. They’re almost begging. What if something happened to Robin after he left? 

“You haven’t?”

Patch looks away, and it’s Brooke who answers. “Patch and Robin fought two weeks ago. We haven’t seen him since.”

“I’ve heard some Guardians have seen him around Europa and the Dreaming City. Maybe you will have some luck asking Variks or Petra Venj.”

“Thank you.” Patch looks at Ikora again with a vague half smile.

And so the two make their way to Europa. Ikora said to ask Variks, but they land in Beyond first. Elsie is standing there. She probably expected them to come. 

“Your Warlock… Robin. I thought he had returned to you already,” Elsie says when the two ask her. “I saw him a couple of days ago. He seemed… not himself. If he is not with you, I fear the worst.”

“What do you mean, “not himself”?” Brooke asks.

Not himself as in, he gave into the temptation of Darkness? Not himself like the Wrathborn? No, that… that wouldn’t happen. Would it? Can Guardians even become Wrathborn? Is Xivu Arath powerful enough to corrupt Guardians?

She can’t be.

There is no known case of Taken Guardians, so how would there be Wrathborn Guardians? 

No, Robin was just upset. That is why she said he wasn’t himself. He’s not himself because he fought with his friends. It is the only logical explanation.

“He seemed distant. Ah, perhaps it was nothing. However, I can’t tell you where he is now. I’m sorry.”

“Was there a Robin in your timeline?” Patch looks at Elsie. 

She looks back at them. “Yes. He was corrupted by the Darkness. Though I doubt that is what happened to him now.”

So, they can strike out the option of Robin being corrupted by the Dark. It has to be just a dip, then. He’ll come back when he feels like it. When he is done moping. 

Maybe he’ll stop complaining about the hunts then, too. Maybe he can even find it in himself to actually befriend Crow.

“Thank you.” Brooke nods at Elsie.

Elsie inclines her head. “I hope you find him soon. No one wielding Stasis should do so alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok we're almost back into the fun stuff. i had no idea what i was doing with this chapter but um. elsie i guess? she exists?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh one of my favorite exchanges of the fic is in this chapter

“We still haven’t found Robin,” Patch tells Crow after the third week. They’re alone in the Scorn Lair. “Honestly, the longer it takes, the more I feel worried. What if something happened to him?”

“Wasn’t he with you when you killed gods?” Glint wonders. 

“Well, yes, but…” Patch shrugs. “We were together then. He’s alone.” They pause, look down at their hands. “We’ve always been together.”

“I’m sure he’s fine. He seemed strong enough,” Crow says. 

“Yeah…” Patch shakes their head. They don’t want to only worry about Robin. “How are you, anyway? Losing your mind under all the responsibilities of being a leader yet?”

Crow laughs. “Somehow, no. I’m doing well. A lot better than when I worked for Spider, at least.”

“That’s good. That was my goal when I asked Fikrul for help, you know.”

“The fact that that even worked,” Ghost mutters beside them.

They swat at him like they’d swat at a particularly annoying fly. “Of course it worked!”

“You do have a way of making the impossible, possible.”

“That’s what I do it for,” Patch says, leaning back in their seat and crossing their arms. A grin forms on their face. “Soon enough we’ll have the High Celebrant’s head, and Robin will be back, and everything will be good.”

“You still have to tell them about the Scorn. Not to mention Petra and the Vanguard about Crow  _ and  _ the Scorn,” Ghost points out.

Their grin drops. “Can’t we just never tell anyone about the Scorn? That’d be a lot easier. But I’m sure the Vanguard will love Crow. Why don’t we call Osiris right now? Ask him if he can introduce Saint to Crow? Saint will love him, and the Vanguard trusts Saint.”

“...Saint?” Crow frowns. “Who is that?”

“He’s Osiris’s… husband? Are they married? They’re old and in love. Saint is a Titan. He’s  _ legendary.  _ Robin, Brooke, and I saved him almost a year ago. He’s quite possibly the nicest Guardian you’ll ever meet. There is not a single Guardian in the Solar System that I trust more than Saint-14.”

“You want me to believe that the nicest, most trust-worthy Guardian in existence… is essentially married to  _ Osiris?”  _

Patch freezes for a split second, before they burst out into laughter. It really does make no sense, does it? Osiris was exiled. Osiris is quite possibly one of, if not the most hated Guardian alive.

And yet one of, if not the most loved Guardian to ever live… is in love with him. And not even subtly. It’s always about Osiris with Saint, and with Osiris there’s a one in two chance he speaks about Saint. Not because he doesn’t love the Titan, but he is a lot more quiet about personal matters.

“I’m sorry,” they say through fits of laughter. “I just-... You’re right.”

“Oh, please. Osiris isn’t that bad. Who knows what he was like before his exile,” Ghost huffs.

“Probably worse, considering he got exiled,” Patch points out as their laughter dies down. “But they are really cute together, actually. There’s no one I would trust more to put a good word in with Zavala and Ikora than Saint, and Saint trusts Osiris way more than the average Guardian does.”

“That’s good, isn’t it? If the Vanguard trusts Saint, and Saint trusts Osiris… Osiris knows Crow. He knows us,” Glint says hopefully. 

Patch nods. “But then we still have the issue of Petra. I’m thinking that, out of all Guardians, she trusts me the most. But even that trust is fragile and I probably won’t be able to convince her to give you a chance. Maybe I can convince some of the Awoken to help, but they… Hm…”

They don’t like thinking outside of what their Queen tells them to think, they want to say. Maybe not anymore. Maybe that’s just Petra. But how many Awoken are willing to go against the beliefs of their current leader? And how would they even manage that? How many Awoken  _ hadn’t  _ suffered because of Uldren?

“One at a time,” says Ghost. 

“One at a time,” Patch agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its the part where crow goes like "the nicest guardian alive is married to osiris?,??" bc honestly. great point.
> 
> i brought crow cookies today. & saint. theyre just... hshdjdjd favoritism
> 
> why can we bring riven cookies & not fikrul. dont you know how fucking funny it would be to bring strike bosses cookies. clearly eliksni (and therefore scorn) are capable of eating cookies because we can bring variks cookies. hes gonna be my next victim <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you dont understand... how much i wanted to put 2 chapters before this tgoether... just to make this one 14

“Patch!” Saint greets as he and Osiris land on the Shore. 

Patch leaves Crow’s side almost instantly, running forward to be picked up into Saint’s incredibly comfortable hugs. “I’m sorry about Trials and I’m sorry I haven’t been visiting that much,” they say quietly.

Saint merely laughs. “It is no problem, my friend,” he says kindly as he puts down the Hunter and places a big hand on their comparatively small shoulder. “Osiris told me you have been very busy.”

“Not to mention Robin vanishing,” Patch mutters with a wistful sigh. “Anyway. Saint, this is Crow. He’s the boss of the Tangled Shore. He hasn’t been a Guardian for that long.” They step aside and point at Crow.

Crow approaches a lot slower, a lot more cautious than Patch did. “Hi,” he says in a small voice. 

“He is a Hunter?” Saint asks curiously.

Patch chuckles. “Yeah. He doesn’t have that many knives, though.”

The Titan gasps. “We must get you one! Do you want to make it yourself, or would you rather we buy one in the City?”

Crow looks at him, wide-eyed. 

“You’re scaring him,” Osiris mutters. 

“Oh, please. He’s been working with you. If he can survive that, surely I am not that scary anymore.”

Crow laughs, taken off-guard by the quick and easy way Saint retorts. 

“I am Saint-14,” Saint says, holding out his hand to Crow. “I promise I mean you no harm.”

Crow takes the hand. Saint’s almost completely envelops Crow’s. “Crow. Thank you.”

“Really continuing with the bird motif, huh?” Ghost asks, nudging Patch’s arm. “Saint with his pigeons. Osiris with his whole phoenix thing. And now Crow.”

Patch grins. “It’s meant to be.”

“Then why have I not met this boy earlier?!” Saint asks. He hooks an arm around Crow’s shoulders, loose enough that the young Hunter can escape.

He doesn’t.

"Crow cannot go to the City. At first because the one he worked for didn't allow it, but now it might be an issue with the Vanguard. That is why you called us here, isn't it, Patch?" Osiris says. He turns to Patch.

"Yeah. Crow, before becoming a Guardian, was Uldren Sov. Uldren Sov killed the last Hunter Vanguard. I'm worried about what might happen if any Guardian sees him." 

"Aside from us." 

"I never cared much about Cayde. I think you two, of all people, should believe in second chances," Patch says with a pointed look at Osiris. 

"What someone did before they became a Guardian doesn't matter for anyone. Why should it matter with Crow?" 

"Not everyone is as rational as you. And even if they want to accept Crow, as can be seen with Robin, his face is the same as Uldren's. It reminds them." Patch lowers their gaze. "But now that he's free, I want him to see the Traveler. The City." 

"Weren't all the Hunters avoiding the Tower and City because of the empty Vanguard Spot?" Saint wonders.

"They can't force Crow into the Vanguard position. They probably don't even want to. I'll do it if they're so desperate." 

"Cayde's Dare was for the one to kill him," Ghost points out. 

"Crow didn't kill Cayde. Uldren did," Patch shoots back. "And if the Vanguard doesn't want to see that, they'll have to go through me and quite possibly half the inhabitants of the Shore before they can make Crow Vanguard." 

"Is being Vanguard truly that horrible for Hunters?" Saint inquires. He lifts his arm from Crow's shoulders to return to Patch and Osiris still standing in the landing zone. 

"Wouldn't call it horrible. I'm just saying we've lost more Hunter Vanguards than Warlocks and Titans combined. I think it's best if we don't have another Vanguard. We never really listen to Consensus ruling anyway." 

"Ah. Well. I can put a good word in with the Vanguard." 

"Wait. What about…" Crow looks directly at Patch when he says it, head jerking in the direction of the Scorn Lair. 

Of course. "We can't tell the Vanguard about that. Saint? Thank you." 

Saint looks between the two Hunters, but he doesn't ask. Not that he would get an answer. "Well, I suppose I should be going, then. It was nice to meet you, Crow. Osiris?" He holds out an arm.

Osiris takes it and the two transmat away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> saint & osiris are. comfort ship for me. like theyre both comfort characters. and i love them so much. now just to find myself someone who relates to saint so we cna be the rl o14.... dbjdkfmskdjns im sorry
> 
> ive been playing hades and its been distracting me and confusing me because im pagan and like. primarily hellenistic so the fact that i have a severe crush on thanatos is BAD but also um that game brought back my old chthonic gods hyperfixation and im deeply in love and yeah. good game


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay look!! the scorn are still here!!!

"I'm just saying that we have to take it slow. If the Vanguard takes your presence well,  _ maybe  _ we can tell them about the Scorn. You don't remember what you did. They do." 

Crow sighs. "We can't force them to hide for the rest of eternity. Their grudge against Cayde was personal. Everything else they did when it comes to the Guardians was just because of their loyalty to Uldren."

"They terrorized the Reef for  _ years  _ before Fikrul even met Uldren." 

"They can learn to be good now." 

"I know that. I expect them to. They follow you, now, and as long as they don't stray from that path… Still, they have a long way to go before the Vanguard can accept them as allies. Even I don't trust them enough yet, and I asked them for help in the first place." 

"Spider wasn't good either."

"Spider was completely neutral until what he did to you. No one liked our alliance with him, anyway." 

"The Vanguard doesn't have to like the Scorn either. Fikrul alone has done more for me than the Vanguard." 

"What are you two bickering about?" Pirrha says drily, not looking up from his crossbow. He really never sits anywhere but on the table. Always the high ground. 

"Nothing," Crow says shortly.

Fikrul lifts his head at that, but he doesn't say anything. 

"Where are the others?" Crow asks then.

"Elykris is working with the Golden Age human technology you gave her," Fikrul answers with a nod to Patch. "Yaviks is in her garage. Kaniks…" 

"...is probably blowing something up," Pirrha finishes nonchalantly, still not looking up from his crossbow.

Fikrul sends the Rifleman a look that's indescernable through his helmet. "Reksis is hunting down the last groups of enemy Eliksni on the Tangled Shore. Araskes was here not too long ago." 

"Probably didn't want to face our Guardian overlords again." 

"Pirrha!" 

Pirrha lifts his primary arms for a moment in a very clear mock of a surrender. 

Crow sighs, glancing at Patch. Three weeks living with the Scorned Barons and already he's exhausted. Though he seems a little fond, too.

Did Uldren feel fondness for the Barons? Or had he simply used them to get to his goals? 

It matters little, now. 

"Then why are you still here?" Crow says. 

"Because," responds Pirrha, "do you know how hard it is to shoot something when your rather explosive little brother is setting everything on fire?" 

"Impossible," Patch sighs.

Pirrha looks at them, his brow raised.

They shrug. "I snipe sometimes. My friends prefer rocket launchers." 

"Are they really your friends, then?"

Patch opens their mouth. Closes it. Opens it again. "Fair," they finally say. 

Pirrha snorts. 

Huh.

That was… weird.

Are they the only one bothered by it?

Probably. They're not used to friendly conversation with any Scorn, let alone Pirrha. 

“That reminds me, I found something the other day,” Fikrul says slowly. He lifts one hand.

Remnants of a Ghost shell.

Patch walks over and gently takes the pieces from Fikrul’s hand.

They are from Robin’s Ghost’s shell.

They're about to say something, when Zavala's voice comes through their comms.

"Guardian. Please return to Earth immediately. I must speak with you regarding your new...friend." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i cant believe pirrha is obi-wan kenobi...
> 
> writing pirrha as a shitty arrogant bitch boy is my favorite thing to do now. its not even funny anymore i just enjoy writing him like this. and fikrul as the exhausted oldest sibling because im the oldest sibling and that shit gets exhausting real fast
> 
> that said oohhh... the plot thickens... .doesnt matter we're gonna get more ✨disappointed dad talks✨
> 
> not me excusing scorn behavior-


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow remember when this fic was about the yw befriending the scorned barons

"I don't know what you are thinking, but if you say one bad thing about Crow-"

"Tell me your side of the story."

Patch pauses in the doorway. Oh. They hadn't expected that when they left the Scorn Lair in a hurry. 

"Well, you sent me and my fireteam to rescue Osiris about a month ago. We went. We were almost too late to save him, actually, when Crow stepped in. Of course we were a little confused, we killed Uldren, and for him to have a Ghost… Robin didn't take it well. The first week that we spent working with Crow, Spider, and Osiris, Robin was very grumpy. Crow and I killed Spider because he was holding Crow and his Ghost hostage and Crow took over the Shore. Then Robin...vanished. We fought and I haven't seen him since. Brooke and I have been working with Osiris and Crow to fight off the Wrathborn and it's going well. I can vouch for Crow." 

"You are aware at least half the Guardians in the Tower will aim their guns at him should he come to the City?" Zavala asks. He sounds more tired than anything else. He had been the one to keep everyone from going to war in the Reef, and now he probably will be the one to keep everyone from trying to kill Crow. 

"I can get him a helmet. As I said, he took over the Tangled Shore. There is no need for him to be here for long stretches of time, we just want to ensure that you are aware of who you deal with now in the Reef. Crow is a much better ally to have than Spider. He is incredibly kind. Especially considering how Uldren was. Crow is a good person." 

Zavala turns his back to them, facing the tall windows in his office. "Osiris and Saint told me as much, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable with the idea of having Uldren Sov, even a reincarnated Uldren Sov, walk freely around the City." 

"Crow isn't Uldren, Commander."

Zavala sighs. "I know he isn't." 

"You would condemn an innocent Guardian for the actions of a dead man?" 

"That is not what I am saying, Patch-"

"That is exactly what you're saying. Crow didn't do anything. And even if he was Uldren, or in any way like Uldren, he'd be the Uldren before millenia of manipulation, before seeing the Heart of the Black Garden and before Riven. Not the one who killed Cayde." 

"Why are you so ready to defend him? Why this specific one?" Zavala looks at them again. His eyes are full of grief.

Like everyone else, he is reminded of Cayde as they speak of Crow. 

"He deserves better. Better than Spider, better than to be banned from Earth for no reason than what he did in his past life. Who knows what kind of terrible things we did before becoming Guardians? Why do we get to abandon our pasts yet he has to live knowing everyone hates him for something he didn't do?" 

"You cannot keep the thousands of Guardians that haven't shot Uldren in the face from attacking Crow." 

"No," Patch scoffs. "But I can sure as hell try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is just copy pasting the discussions ive had with people who hate crow bc of uldren but with bigger words


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so my last update was on the 18th and its currently past 12 am on the 21st so uh... oops?? have a triple update
> 
> starting with ✨the prank wars that should have just been a fic on its own instead of all this fireteam angst✨

"Not Xillox," Patch groans. "They nearly killed us the last time." 

It's been almost a month since Robin vanished. The three Guardians, Brooke, Patch, and Crow are sitting around in the hideout, planning their next hunt. 

Crow shoves them. "Stop complaining. You've killed gods." 

"Yeah? In fireteams of six!" 

"We'll be fine. We were just...unprepared, the last time," Brooke says lightly. "We've gotten stronger, too." 

"The last time we had Robin." 

Brooke hooks an arm around Patch's shoulders, pulling them into her side. "We can do this. With and without Robin." 

"Okay. Tomorrow. I'm tired." Almost as if on command, Patch yawns. 

"Fine." Brooke releases them and stands up. "I'll be in my ship if you need me," she says, before she transmats away. 

It is quiet for a moment. 

"You're not tired, are you?" Crow asks.

Patch gets up with a grin. "Nope. And I know for a fact that Araskes is away right now, so… Ah, you'll find out tomorrow." 

"Please don't tell me you're going to do what I think you're going to do." 

"She deserves it!" are the last words Crow hears from them before Ghost transmats them into the Lair. 

The Barons have seperate rooms. They make their way to Araskes's. 

It isn't a full room, by any means. A cot, a desk, a spot to place her armor… It's clear she doesn't spend much time inside. Ah, it's more than enough. They lift their hands, and Ghost transmats a bag of balloons into one and confetti into the other. Not to mention the machine needed to put helium in the balloons and the bottles of glitter on the bed.

They drop onto the Trickster's cot, and get to work. 

They aren't sure how many balloons they've filled with confetti and glitter and blown up with helium when Pirrha glances inside. 

"What are you doing?" he asks, looking pointedly at the ceiling of balloons. 

They've already started the third layer, forcing the Baron to duck as he enters. 

They let another balloon drift to the ceiling. "Araskes thought it was so funny when she handed me an explosive and it exploded in my face, so I'm showing her how we do things on Earth." 

"With floating balls." 

"Filled with glitter and confetti."

"...Why?"

"Confetti is fun and cheerful. Also, it's just City tradition for new roommates. At least, that's what my roommates told me when they did it. But because Araskes blew me up, I have decided to take it up a notch and add glitter. Glitter is notorious for being impossible to remove." They pull out another balloon, blow it up with helium, put the bottleneck of another bottle of glitter inside, and dump the contents into the balloon before taking it off, tying a knot, and letting it fly to the ceiling. 

They pull out yet another balloon and offer it to Pirrha with the bag of confetti. "Wanna help?" 

He picks it up easily enough. They keep the glitter for themself, knowing they can keep everything a lot cleaner when it comes to working with glitter. The few sparkles and bits of confetti that do drop get transmatted away by Ghost.

By the time the last balloon is done, the two almost have to crawl to leave the room. They shut the door behind them and leave to their respective rooms.

"I must admit," Ghost says as he transmats away most of Patch's armor, "when you went to Fikrul for help a month ago, I did not expect we'd be pranking the Trickster with the Rifleman's aid." 

Patch crawls onto their own cot, which is a lot smaller than Araskes's, and chuckles. "Well, I did not expect this either. But it's… kinda fun? I'm starting to like them. You weren't hiding while we were in the same room as Pirrha." 

"I just-... I didn't even realize." 

"Me neither." 

"Good night, Patch," Ghost says half-heartedly. He sounds disturbed, but clearly he doesn't want to talk about it. 

"Good night," they respond, although they're not sure whether they say it out loud or if they merely think it. 

They drift off to sleep not long after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not exactly HAPPY with this specific chapter but i dont hate it either?? idk its weird
> 
> pranking ur trickster coworker with glitter bc they blew you up is honestly a better revenge than blowing them up lmao i just googled "fun pranks" and one was like "fill their room with balloons" but patch is petty SO include the glitter


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear chapter 20 is better i honestly had no idea what i was doing with this one and was kinda rushing through it to get to the juicy plot of chapter 20

"Guardian!" 

Patch shoots upright. Was that Araskes who just yelled? Why would she yell? 

They quickly get out of bed, Ghost transmatting their armor on before they leave their room. "What's up?" 

It seems as though Kaniks and Reksis did not return overnight, but the other five are all standing in the area between the rooms. Araskes is in front of her own, staring dumbfoundedly at the balloons. 

"What are these?" she asks. 

Patch keeps their distance. "Those are balloons. You pop them." 

"Why did you fill her space with these… balloons?" Fikrul asks calmly, though he seems a little tense. Definitely tired.

Patch shrugs. "What can I say? I live life on the edge." 

Araskes pops the first balloon. She jumps at the unexpectedly loud sound, but it's only confetti that comes out. "This is harmless," she says, popping the next. Also confetti. "If you wanted revenge for what I did, you would have done something worse!" 

Patch crosses their arms and leans against the doorframe of the entrance to their room. "We shall see," they mutter under their breath. 

"What is going on-?!" Crow almost yells as he comes in, but Patch shushes him with a loud "Ssshhh!" 

The fifth and sixth balloons get popped, and there is the glitter. It's enough to temporarily blind Patch. 

"Good luck getting that off!" they yell, before quickly transmatting outside. 

Crow and Fikrul had set heavy rules regarding going outside when there are Guardians on the Shore aside from Crow and Patch.

Brooke is on the Shore.

Araskes can't get her revenge as long as Brooke is here. And while Patch would love to watch her slowly be covered in layer upon layer of glitter, they can't risk leaving their friend alone for too long. Or dying due to Araskes attacking them for the glitter. 

Brooke is just leaving her ship when Patch arrives. "So, sleep well?" she asks them.

They can't suppress a smile. "Very well," they say. "Never better." 

Brooke looks confused, but she shakes her head and smiles. "Good. You'll need it."

Right. Xillox.

"And there goes the good mood," Brooke says with a laugh. "Cheer up, we'll be fine." 

"I hope you're right. You wanna go to the Dreaming City now?" 

"You don't want to wait for Crow?" 

"He's busy. He'll tune in when he has time, but we might as well do some stuff in the Dreaming City while we wait." Also, Patch wants to get off the Tangled Shore before Araskes can think about violating the rules and come out to return the favor. 

"Okay. I'll see you there," she says, still a little confused as she transmats onto her ship. 

Patch transmats onto their own. They send a quick message to Crow before taking off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> araskes: i dont get why you think this is a trick. its harmless. how is this revenge  
> also araskes, three hours later: how do you get this glitter off why didnt you just blow me up
> 
> why do i keep writing kaniks & reksis out. i dont know. im not good at juggling this many characters. literally the only thing about this fic that isnt new for me as a writer is the monsterfucker aspect because... well. i have at LEAST 50k words of eliksni x guardian. probably more. wow i wish i could get a cute partner with 4 arms and 4 glowy eyes and-


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you dont know. how long ive been waiting to share this chapter. like yes im still not great at action sequences but from here on out theres gonna be a semblance of a plot. i mean theres been some plot since robin vanished but i think this is about the moment that i started figuring out what i wanted eith this fic
> 
> and then i finished this arc and had to spend another 3 days wondering what the fuck is gonna be the next one. i have started it but havent actually done anything but play hades & write thanzag for the past few days so um. yea

The Ogre disappears, and a trail appears. 

Patch sighs, pulls out their sparrow, and chases Brooke. She is faster. She didn't even watch the ogre leave. Didn't wait for the trail to fully appear.

She remembers the route.

They're reluctant to even follow it.

They make their way to the arena, where Brooke is already waiting for them by the Cryptolith. She waves. 

Places down the lure again.

Patch shakes their shoulders and clutches their hand cannon a little tighter. They can do this. They've done it before. 

Still, they can't help that tiny voice at the edge of their mind reminding them that they don't have Robin right now. No Robin, no healer. 

Not to mention the fact that this is a Darkness Zone because of the heavy presence of Xivu Arath's Wrathborn. 

If either of them die, it's game over. There is no coming back. 

It scares them. It always does, just a little. But now, fighting something they struggled with the first time, when they had Robin… 

It's so much worse. 

They fight off the ogre easily enough. A few shots to the head and it goes down before it can do too much damage. 

Then Xillox appears. Xillox is a Hive wizard, surrounded by knights and acolytes and thrall… 

Patch shoots a few thrall, each of them dissipating into nothing as they die. They throw a shuriken at an acolyte and it bounces off, slowing the knight on the left and killing the thrall and acolytes around it. 

Here goes nothing. They aim at the knight's head and shoot until their magazine is empty. They reload and shoot again.

Meanwhile, Brooke does the same to the right side. She throws a void grenade. It latches onto the knight and explodes. The acolytes around it explode too, giving her the space she needs to shoot down the knight.

So far, so good. 

They both make their way to the circles the knights leave behind. More thrall appear around Xillox. Brooke uses her auto rifle to dispose of those easily enough, while Patch takes down Xillox's shields. They manage quite a few shots on the wizard itself before they get overwhelmed by thrall and have to jump back and start shooting those instead. 

Brooke has already put up a shield against the acolytes and wizard in the center of the arena, using her fists to tear up any and all thrall who so much as think they can kill her. 

The shields go back up and the cycle begins anew. 

Patch throws a Duskfield grenade at the knight on their side this time. It shatters into pieces as they shoot at it, which in turn breaks the frozen acolytes around it. 

Brooke pulls out her sword, laughing as it cuts through the acolytes defending the knight and the knight itself.

They start taking down Xillox's shields again, when more Wrathborn reinforcements appear.

A Guardian appears amidst the Hive, sporting the same glow that any other powerful Wrathborn does. 

Wait, they know those robes. 

Robin takes aim and shoots them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plot!!! 
> 
> also this is the end of my little triple update. again im very sorry for not updating for 2 days. id say ive been busy with important things but really ive just been playing hades. i really want the lore grimoire anthology thingy but i have 0 motivwtion to play destiny rn so im just gonna reread all my destiny stuff and hope i get some motivation to play it ✨tomorrow✨ instead of. you know. running around the underworld praying this will be the run that thanatos stops ignoring zag for some unholy reason, its been 3 runs, sir please come back, i miss you-
> 
> as i was writing that i remembered that that game makes me feel very conflicted. i yelled "hermes you fuckin ass" at my laptop today bc he didnt have a boon i wanted, paused, muttered "hermes if you heard that i didnt mean it to you please forgive me" because i felt like i should.
> 
> mk that was enough venting bye


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i forget another day. am i dumb. i think I forgot another day. um oops
> 
> anyway it was the solstice yesterday so uh. a bitch gotta do what he gotta do

"Robin?!" Brooke exclaims loudly, throwing another three thrall off of her. 

Patch doesn't dodge fast enough. The bullet hits them in their side and they stumble back against the wall. "No way," they whisper. 

Robin doesn't react. If anything, he looks like he doesn't care. He's Wrathborn. There is nothing remaining of Robin but his body now, isn't there? 

"Robin…" Crow whispers over comms. "Patch?" 

"Yeah?" They have to push out that single word, their eyes wide as Robin makes his way to Brooke. Well.

At least he's not finishing them off first. 

They force themself to hold up their gun and shoot the approaching thrall, but they can feel their strength dissipating. 

They won't be able to survive this for much longer. 

"I don't think we're gonna make it," they say, and it _hurts_ to say it. They have always made it. This, the end? Dying to their _friend?_ Robin would never…

But this isn’t Robin, is it? It’s an empty shell. This is no more Robin than Crow is Uldren. Isn’t it? What if it is Robin? What if he is still there, somewhere, watching his own hands aim his own gun at his friends? Is it completely him? His anger toward Patch only enhanced by Xivu Arath’s influence?

This is what they deserve, isn’t it? For their friend to kill them. 

There’s so much they still have to do. They haven’t defeated Savathûn or Xivu Arath, haven’t convinced Petra or Zavala to give Crow a chance, haven’t… 

But that’s the funny thing about death, isn’t it? It doesn’t give you the time to finish everything you wish you could finish. It doesn’t wait. You die when you die. There is no bargaining. No avoiding. Just… death.

“Hang on,” Crow says. “We’re on the way.”

We? Osiris isn’t on comms. Is he? Who is we?

Brooke yells in pain. 

Patch looks over to see her stretched out over the ground, her leg… Her leg is slashed clean off. 

Robin is holding her sword.

She is crawling over to Patch, blindly shooting at the wizard they were initially supposed to kill. 

“Patch,” Ghost says quietly, but he doesn’t come out. He can’t heal them. Not with Robin out for blood. Not within the Darkness zone, making everything more difficult.

Their eyes slip shut. “I’m sorry,” they whisper. 

Everything is hopeless. Crow will be too late and-

There’s a roaring engine.

The wizard screeches. Robin cries out in pain. 

They can feel the Darkness lift from the area and open their eyes. Brooke is by their side now, her hand on theirs.

“You nearly died to _that?”_ Yaviks’s sarcastic tone breaks through the haze that Patch had drifted into.

Yaviks?

“Usually I disagree with her, but…” 

Pirrha?

“It’s safe now. Ghost can heal you,” Crow says. “That was a close one.”

Ghost darts out quickly, and Patch can feel the injury closing. “What the hell happened?” they groan, now fully opening their eyes. They’re still a little woozy from the bloodloss, but it’s nothing they can’t handle. 

Brooke, however, is on her feet a lot faster than them. She still has her gun in her hands, and when Patch looks up, they see her waving it around. 

They look at the Scorned Barons.

It’s just Yaviks and Pirrha. 

It’s Yaviks and Pirrha.

“Oh, shit,” Patch mutters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now you may be wondering. why yaviks & pirrha
> 
> well, you see, kids, that is something we call "favoritism"


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay ive completely lost track of the schedule at which this was supposed to be uploaded but its the 22th today and this is ch 22 so it'll be easier to keep track of until December ends :)

“Brooke, please put your gun down,” Patch says. It hurts to talk and their voice sounds scratchy at best, but they can’t… can’t not say anything. 

“Did you get hit in the head when you fell?!” 

They push themself up against the wall. “Let me explain. On the Shore.” They turn to glance at Crow. “What were you _thinking_ bringing any Barons here at all?! Letting them run free on the Shore is one thing, but the Dreaming City?! Petra will kill you for just existing, who knows what she’ll do to them!”

“What, are you upset we rescued you?” Pirrha croons, leaning down. He looks amused, and Patch is not sure how they can even tell. 

“I’m starting to think I should have asked Saint and Osiris to help me with Crow and not Fikrul,” Patch mutters, not breaking eye-contact with the Rifleman. Not that he knows, their helmet hides their eyes, but still. It’s the idea that counts.

“But you didn’t.”

Patch groans. “Let’s just go. Before we run into any Awoken or other Guardians.”

“Can you walk?” Crow asks the two Guardians.

Brooke moves her reformed leg back and forth, not taking her suspicious gaze off of the two Barons. Pirrha looms over them, but Yaviks is not that much taller, if even taller, than Brooke. 

Maybe Brooke is just ridiculously tall for a human.

Patch pushes themself off of the wall. They’re dizzy, but they can stand. “Transmatting is gonna suck, but I’ll be fine.”

“Great, because Araskes will probably kill you when we get back,” Crow says, no one clarifying anything before he and the Barons transmat away.

“Araskes?” Brooke asks in a thin voice. “How many Scorn have you befriended?”

“I-... We’ll explain on the Shore.”

They can almost hear her distressed “we?!” but she doesn’t say it out loud. Instead, she just transmats to her ship.

They do the same. Ghost flies the ship to the Tangled Shore, staying behind Brooke. They can’t stray too far from her path. Even if she is their friend, they can’t trust her with the Scorn.

Not that they trust the Scorn either.

… It’s complicated.

They land mere seconds after Brooke does.

She whips around to face them. “Well? Explain!”

“Come with me,” they say. They sway as they walk, but it’s nothing they can’t handle. The Lair isn’t that far anyway.

Brooke falls into step beside them.

“When we met Crow, I felt… worried for him. I was so angry at Spider for hurting him. I didn’t know why. Honestly, I still don’t. Something in me just decided I should adopt a young Hunter, I suppose.” They chuckle. “But I knew I couldn’t do it alone. Robin… Robin wouldn’t want to help. Obviously. You know what he thought about Crow. I had no one to turn to for help in freeing Crow, so I went to my last resort.”

“The Scorn.”

Patch is leaning on the walls as they walk deeper into the Lair. “Yes. I went to Fikrul, told him about Crow and Crow’s situation, and he was almost immediately ready to help. Elykris removed the bomb from Glint’s shell and Fikrul was the one who killed Spider in the end.”

“And now you are friends with the Scorned Barons.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t you remember what they did? They killed Cayde. They terrorized the Reef. The Rifleman has killed Guardians!”

Patch winces. She’s right. They know she is. They want to tell her, tell her she’s right, tell her they’ll stop right now, but they can’t… Much as they hate to admit it, the Barons have grown on them. “I know,” they say. “But last night he also helped me get back at Araskes. Elykris loves the Golden Age tech I bring her from Europa. Kaniks loses his mind when I pull out the Shaxx voice. They did terrible things, but they’re… I don’t know.”

“Your friends?”

“You could say that.”

“I’m guessing you were quite terrified of what Robin would think should he find out.”

“Robin cared about Cayde a lot more than I did. I don’t expect you to like them, either. I just… Don’t attack them. Please.”

“How’d you do it? How can you be friends with them?”

Patch smiles faintly as they make it to the central room, the area where everyone spends their time when not working or wreaking havoc across the Shore. “Like you make friends with everyone. It just happens.”

They open the doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look man if my kinks shine through evn without sex scenes I am so sorry but hey


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so im at chapter 40 rn?? in the writing?? i took a week-long break from writing this au for thanzag lmao but im back baybeee!! i almost forgot how fun it is to write this
> 
> idk if I said this before but this is NOT gonna be extremely lore accurate. 1 because I haven't actually read most of the lore this season and 2 because, as I said, im at chapter 40. chapter 40 plays about a week from where we are ingame right now?? and I don't want to spoil the season for myself by reading the wrathborn hunt lines or by viewing the apparently leaked ending of the season?? 
> 
> anyway im about to hold a presentation for my mom, stepdad & sister about how Christmas is actually just a pagan holiday in a Christian paint see yall tomorrow

Araskes is the first thing they notice. She is sitting on a chair. Most of the glitter is cleaned off, but, as expected, not everything. The remainders of glitter reflect the artificial lighting above them as she moves. It would be almost pretty, if she wasn’t looking like she was already planning something for her revenge. She glares at them when they enter, her gaze not softening when she realizes they’re leaning on the wall. 

If anything, she looks even more like she is about to return the favor.

“You’re still dizzy?” Crow asks them.

Patch sighs. “Nearly dying in Darkness Zones does that sometimes. Too much blood loss isn’t exactly good, even for a Guardian.”

They glance at Brooke. She is looking around, her hands tightly gripping her gun. She only becomes more on edge when Patch takes off and transmats away their helmet.

They run a hand through their hair. “I’ll be fine. Now what were you thinking?!”

Crow flinches away from them when they raise their voice. 

They regret it immediately.

“You were dying. What should I have done?” Crow says desperately, almost begging for them to understand.

And they understand. They would have done the same thing for Crow. “If Petra had seen us with two Scorned Barons, she will never willingly work with you. She will never even willingly work with me anymore.”

“But she didn’t. Everything is okay. You’re alive.”

“Your Wrathborn Lightbearer buddy is alive too,” Pirrha remarks from his usual position on the table in the center of the large room. 

Wrathborn Lightbearer… Robin.

“You mean you didn’t kill him?” they ask, forcing themself to sound confident and not strangely… relieved. “Disappointing, Pirrha. Thought you were supposed to be the best shot around.”

“You wanna tell us you wouldn’t have been upset if we had killed him?” Yaviks says cynically.

Patch inclines their head. “I don’t know. Depends on if we can save him.”

“You can’t  _ save  _ a Wrathborn, Patch,” Crow says. He sounds sad. 

They look at him. “Who told you that? Spider?”

“Osiris.”

Patch freezes. No. Osiris could have been wrong. How much do they really know about the Wrathborn? Nothing. They know that the Wrathborn are corrupted by Xivu Arath, but other than that? Nothing. “Robin can’t be  _ lost.  _ Maybe Osiris was wrong.”

“Don’t you think that if we could save the Wrathborn, we wouldn’t have done so? I have lost friends to it as well-”

“Robin is a Guardian! It’s different. He’s different. Is the Traveler really that weak? The Light?”

Brooke grasps Patch’s shoulder. “He was already being corrupted by the Darkness. His will wasn’t strong enough to ignore the temptations of the Darkness, how could he possibly ignore the Cryptolith?”

“This never would have happened if I hadn’t-...”

“Hadn’t what? His will is his own. Is it your fault that he couldn’t be stronger?”

“Brooke, please… Go to Earth. Tell the Vanguard. Tell them Crow saved us. Not a word about the Scorn. They should know. About Robin.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone here.”

“I’m not alone.”

She looks at them, before she sighs, nods, and transmats away.

And Patch slumps against the wall in defeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is not gonna be one of those 500k drawn-out slowburns where its all based around the relationship and they touch hands after 250k words and everyone goes wild because im incapable of waiting that long. im 28k in and I just want to write them CUDDLING but hey. its fine. im fine. im not too invested in a crackship. 
> 
> ...is it even a crackship anymore when im this genuinely invested


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "heres the chapter" it says, "totally not an hour and a half too late," it says
> 
> yes im uploading 25 too so i dont forget lmao

“Robin doesn’t have a connection to the Light anymore. Fikrul, those pieces of a Ghost’s shell you found last week, they belonged to his Ghost. When a Guardian loses their Ghost, their Light…” Patch sighs. “The way the pieces were broken, I’d almost assume he killed her himself. He might still be able to wield the Darkness, though. The Darkness is found within someone rather than channeled through the Ghost. Maybe he doesn’t. He attacked us with guns. Robin’s setup in the past was always a scout rifle, a shotgun, and his rocket launcher. But as he demonstrated with Brooke’s sword, he is still capable of thinking. At least enough to fight.”

It’s the day after their encounter with Robin and Xillox. The Scorned Barons, Crow, Osiris, and Brooke are all here. It’s a strange sight, truly. 

“But was his fighting style similar to how he used to be?” Osiris asks. 

“I don’t know. He took us by surprise, so we couldn’t really see his fighting style.”

“Xivu Arath must be aware that she has a Guardian under her control now,” Crow mutters. He frowns. “She will use that on every occasion she possibly can.”

Patch nods. “We must be ready for anything. Brooke, what did the Vanguard say?”

“They’ll keep an eye out for Robin.”

“Good.”

“They also asked why you haven’t been on Earth since you spoke with Zavala.”

“What did you tell them?”

“The truth. You’ve been helping Crow with the Tangled Shore.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Patch crosses their arms. “We can’t lure him out. We don’t have a specific lure for him. All we can do is continue hunting and hope he doesn’t catch us off-guard. Osiris?”

“Are you going to command me to stay inside or away, now, Patch?” the elder Guardian says. He is equal parts amused and annoyed just by the notion of the Young Wolf commanding him.

“Not command. Just ask. You’re old enough to figure out how dangerous it is for you right now. If you want to die, go right ahead. It just seems a little stupid to me to do that when we broke time to bring Saint back maybe… a year ago?”

“I understand.”

“Good. If any of you encounter Robin… Kill him. Don’t hold back.” They sound grim. They know that that advice goes for them as well, but they don’t want to kill Robin. He is their friend. He has been their friend for years.

And now they’re telling the Scorned Barons to kill him.

If anyone had told them two years ago they would be teaming up with the Scorn and the reincarnated Uldren to kill Robin, they would have laughed in said person’s face, and yet here they were. Talking about killing Robin with the Scorned Barons like they used to talk about killing high-ranking Eliksni with their fireteam and the Vanguard. 

It feels strange. Not exactly wrong, just… off.

Foreign.

“Will you?” Fikrul doesn’t sound judgmental when he asks it. It is a good concern.

Patch slumps against the wall. “I guess I have to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im having a bLAST with the next arc lmao im gonna say this right now. of all the 39 & a half chapters ive written so far. 38 is my favorite. its also one of the longer ones so uh. yeah


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more Dadvala content, now with additional momkora

“Brooke told me about Robin. We are sorry, Patch.”

Patch scoffs. Not even a minute of standing in Zavala’s office to speak with the Commander and Ikora, and already they’re wishing they hadn’t. Not that they want to live out the rest of their days solely in the Reef, but there are better things to do than… this. They haven’t finished their tasks on Europa, for example. They haven’t spoken to Devrim in far too long. Visiting Saint, or Failsafe. Anything is better than having to hear out Zavala at this point.

Nothing against Zavala. They know everything he says and does is out of worry for something, whether that is the City or humankind or Patch themself, but with everything happening, they can’t take the lectures.

“Sorry for what? It’s my fault he’s like this.”

“It is?” asks Ikora. She finally looks up from her datapad. “Or are you simply blaming yourself?”

“I yelled at him. I told him to get over what happened to Cayde. I’ve been nothing but a terrible friend to him and yet I defended someone I’d known for two weeks. He was angry. Him leaving, by himself, on the Tangled Shore, with all the Cryptoliths… We should have known better than to send him away.”

“And who made him go to the Cryptolith to be corrupted instead of returning to the City?”

“... He did.”

“It is not your fault that he was corrupted, Patch.”

They look away. “It feels like it.” 

They were too absent. They never cared. They told him to just get over it, as though it hadn’t been about the death of Robin’s best friend.

“Patch, I know we do not always see eye to eye, but I hope you realize that this is not your fault. You are a good person,” Zavala says.

Somehow that’s worse than if he’d just tell them how disappointed he is. Or rather, him yelling at them. 

They could take yelling.

They don’t know how to respond to someone telling them they’re good. They know they’re not. They know they do terrible things, they know they hang out with the wrong people. If only Zavala knew the things they get up to when he’s not watching…

“Either way. According to Crow and Osiris, Wrathborn can’t be brought back to sanity. We found the remains of Robin’s Ghost’s shell, so we can’t kill him to see if that works either. We can’t do anything except bring an end to his life. Permanently.”

“I trust you will be able to make the right decision when it comes down to it.”

Oh, and they want to tell him. They want to look Zavala in the eye and tell him, tell Ikora, that they’re almost praying that Robin will be caught and dead before they return to the Shore. That Kaniks blew him up. That Yaviks accidentally hit him with her pike. 

It doesn’t matter.

They just don’t want to do it themself.

Instead they smile weakly and nod. “I will,” they say, an empty promise. There is nothing they can promise. Who knows what they’ll do should they come face to face with Robin? Maybe that will be the time they die for real. Where there will be no one to save them.

The irony of dying to their old friend, leaving behind former enemies as friends, is not lost on them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just realized both ch24 & ch25 end with someone asking patch like "will you kill robin when it comes to it" and patch being like "ahahahah totally"


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its past 12 heres the next chapter its a filler chapter with the duo i like to call the "under 7ft trio" bc crow is also part of that trio but hey. hes not here
> 
> anyway its platonic bonding time babes
> 
> (also ive been watching bnha. what the fuck why am i huperfixating on other things destiny has been here for a year. i havent thought ab anything other than destiny for a YEAR and now its suddenly hades. sdv. bnha. what the fuck)
> 
> (ALSO i have an au and its just little snippets of patch being a baron. like they arent the young wolf and somehow became friends with the barons years ago and became one themself titled "the shadow" bc theyre a nightstalker in that one and its actually kinda neat hskfjdjd)

“So?” 

Yaviks doesn’t look up from her pike. “So?” she echoes, a little confused.

Patch leans against the wall, crossing their arms over their chest. “Have you gotten your record back yet?”

“I do not know if you noticed, Lightbearer, but you killed me while I was attempting that.”

“Oh, please. It’s been two years. You lost to  _ Cayde. _ He can’t be that good.”

She leans back to look at them. “What are you getting at, Patch?” she asks, maybe a little annoyed. She doesn’t like it when her defeat at the hands of the old Hunter Vanguard gets shoved in her face.

“I’m just curious how he managed to beat you. We have an SRL champion on Earth, and it’s not Cayde.”

“I am going to take it back. First, I have to fix my pike.”

“Did it get damaged during the fight with the Cabal reinforcements?”

She nods, turning back to her pike. “Got too close to Kaniks.”

Patch frowns. “You okay?”

She laughs. “Are you worried now?”

“Oh, no. I’ve just been caught in one too many of his explosions.” Much to the complaints of Ghost, who had to bring them back to life each time. 

“Yes, I would not recommend that.”

“I learned that lesson after the fourth death, yes.”

“You really do not care for death, do you?”

“No, I guess we don’t. I’ve fought multiple of my Guardian friends to death for fun.”

Yaviks pats the pike. “This is my fun.”

“I figured. Did you modify this one yourself?”

“This one’s mine. Of course I modified it myself,” she says, her words almost arrogant, but she sounds happy to talk about her pike. “My gang copied a couple things for their own pikes, but this one’s mine.”

“You mean you’ve never blown it up? Or gotten it damaged beyond repair?”

“You… do?”

Is that only a Guardian thing? “Ghost has to replicate a new sparrow almost every hour because I keep blowing them up or throwing them off of cliffs.”

“You’d be surprised how well a vehicle stays intact if you care for your own life.”

Patch laughs. “I suppose you’re right. You should see a sparrow race between amateur Guardian racers. Half of them don’t make it to the finish line.”

“How you and your team managed to defeat us is beyond me.”

“Well, you know, when it’s nearly impossible to die… Lots of trial and error.”

“You throw yourselves at a goal until…”

“Until we get to it, yes.”

“I don’t know what I expected.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yaviks: did you know that if you dont fling your vehicle off cliffs, it doesnt break as quickly
> 
> patch, a guardian: wait really


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if im not updating next week, ill be at my dad's where i get 0 privacy and also hes played destiny and the idea of him glancing over my shoulder while im updating or writing this is terrifying. also i tend to lose track of literally everything when im there. it happens
> 
> tl;dr theres a chance i forget to upload chapters this upcoming week and i apologize in advance but maybe i will. who knows

Another week passes, and no one sees Robin. They’ve alerted everyone who could possibly get into contact with the Wrathborn Guardian, but it’s like he simply… vanished. How is he managing to stay hidden for a complete week? Why did he show himself last week?

Questions with no answers drift through Patch’s head. They work on Europa for most of the week, not to avoid the Reef or his friends within the Reef, but rather to minimize the possibility of encountering Robin.

“What if he became uncontrollable and Xivu Arath had to put him down?” Brooke offers.

“Maybe she realized the potential of having a Guardian under her control and took him to her. Oryx and Savathûn have never Taken Guardians, right? Bragging rights,” Patch shoots back. They’re grasping at straws at this point, but they need an explanation for why Robin hasn’t shown himself since that first encounter.

If it wasn’t for Brooke being aware of their alliance and… friendship with the Scorn, they would have assumed their encounter to have been a fever dream. 

They wish it was. The thought of Robin actually still being out there somewhere with his Ghost, simply travelling, keeping his distance from Patch and Brooke instead of being Wrathborn is a comforting one, unrealistic as it is. 

If only it were the truth.

“We’ll see him soon enough,” Osiris says over comms. Saint actually managed to keep him in the City for once, his worry for once more powerful than Osiris’s want to get out. “Be glad we haven’t.”

But at least, if they had, it would have been over now. They wouldn’t be worrying their ass off, looking around every corner as though that is where Robin has been hiding for the past week. 

They’re all on edge. 

“He is near the Watchtower,” Crow says when the two other Guardians enter the Lair. “Elykris saw him.”

Patch takes a deep breath. “So what, we kill him?”

“What else can we do? Your friend is gone, Patch.”

“Let’s not keep him waiting,” Brooke says, but it’s clear just from her voice that she’s not ready either. 

Six years of friendship, gone in a snap.

They had been together throughout each other’s darkest times. Patch can’t remember a time where it hadn’t been the three of them. They had formed a team before Patch’s first official mission in the wild, and they had never been apart for longer than a couple days at most.

Yet now it’s been five weeks, five weeks of just Brooke and Patch and… No one. No Warlock. Sure, Patch considers the Scorn to be… somewhat friendly with them, and they do truly believe that Crow is their friend, but it’s different. 

Well, it’s not like killing him now will change much about their current situation.

Other than the fact that they will have his blood, or whatever the Exo equivalent is, on their hands.

For the rest of their life.

For, most likely, the rest of eternity. Centuries spent living with the fact that they killed one of their first friends, that they killed a Guardian.

Ha.

Six years of playing at being a Hero, of taking all the praise and yet knowing that they’re only a hero because of their friends, and now Robin is about to die.

No way to bring him back to them.

Even despite Osiris’s and Crow’s words, they can’t help but feel like they’re losing the opportunity to save him by killing him.

But what else can they do? 

“We have him surrounded,” says Crow, and he makes eye contact with Patch. 

The older Hunter sighs.

“Now or never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how mean would it be if i forgot to upload tomorrow. how cruel. this arc is almost over and that brings us to the next arc and thats when i just. stop caring about canon. like yes the wrathborn will still be a thing and there are dawning chapters BUT also i had to be ✨creative✨ because i physically cant stretch out the content we have right now. also where im at in the writing, im pretty sure dawning's almost over. so yeah. it'll slow down too, less week timeskips. at least for a couple chapters-


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> technically the 28th is still ten minutes away but nothing matters I wanted to drop this chapter and im alone in the room rn so im doing it RIGHT NOW
> 
> deal with it lmao
> 
> also this chapter is a wholeass fight scene so its a mess. bc I don't know how to write fightscenes. but anyway enjoy this mess and the pain that follows it because im mean to my characters

Robin has his shields up when they arrive. They’re the same shields as the other major Wrathborn have, the ones you can’t take down without taking their allies down first.

And he has allies. On the left, there’s a group of shanks and dregs and vandals with a Captain in their midst. On the right, there's a group of Hive acolytes and thrall surrounding a Knight. They seem more powerful than normal ones.

Robin is carrying his own weapons again, his old scout rifle that he always refused to switch out for something better, and his shotgun. His rocket launcher is strapped to his back.

Oh no.

One shot from that thing and both Brooke and Patch are gone. And if Robin is even just slightly like he was before becoming Wrathborn, it’s loaded.

Why did they think this was a good idea?

Robin doesn’t talk. Of course he doesn’t. He comes at them, shotgun in hand, and both Guardians jump away from him. Patch makes their way to the right, throwing a shuriken while they run.

All the enemies are sturdier than usual. 

Robin is focused on Brooke, it seems. They’re both on the left side, Brooke jumping every possible way while emptying mag after mag into the dregs, shanks, and vandals.

But, with Robin occupied, Patch steps back and pulls out the Whisper of the Worm. They don’t use it often, but they’re in a hurry now. They throw a grenade down and shoot the knight in the head. 

Robin turns to them at the sound of the Whisper.

Patch swears under their breath, quickly killing off the knight. They step into the circle as it appears and aim the Whisper at Robin.

They hesitate.

His helmet is off, they realize as they look through the scope of the weapon. It’s the first time they see his face in weeks. His black and white head. His purple glowing eyes. They can almost ignore the Wrathborn glow around his head. 

Almost.

They shoot at Robin’s head.

Another time.

His shields are down.

They shoot again.

That was their last bullet. 

They switch back to their hand cannon, but it feels like their bullets just bounce off of Robin’s Warlock robes. They don’t, of course, but Robin doesn’t even flinch as the bullets enter his frame. 

He’s closer now, his shotgun in hand. Any closer and it’ll kill them. 

They dodge to the side and jump away, turning in midair to empty their gun into his frame before forming their Kama blades and throwing both at Robin.

They had gone into the Crucible, the three of them, to test out their Stasis powers when they got them. Seeing Robin frozen back then was a lot less bad than seeing him frozen now.

At least, back then, they had wanted him to escape and freeze them in return.

Unlike now, where the biting cold of Robin’s Stasis powers freezing them in place strikes them with fear. They can only watch and struggle as Robin approaches with his shotgun once more. He is so fixated on using his shotgun. Has he forgotten how his scout rifle works?

Maybe, because of Xivu Arath’s corruption, it does not have the sentimental value it always used to have.

Brooke is still wrestling with the Captain behind them.

The place is surrounded, Crow had said before they came here. Why are they fighting alone?

That question is not answered, but rather proven useless when Kaniks jumps down from the cliff hanging over them and throws a bomb at Robin before the Wrathborn can get close enough to Patch for Patch to get hurt in the explosion as well. Robin turns to the Mad Bomber, at which he receives a crossbow bolt in the back of his neck.

He turns around again, gaze catching on what has to be Pirrha sitting on the cliff behind the frozen Guardian, laughing.

Patch finally breaks free and pulls their favorite knife from thin air, slamming it into Robin’s neck. 

It’s Brooke who delivers the final blow, pulling her sword from the Captain’s now dead body and slamming it into Robin’s chest. The purple light behind their old friend’s eyes and mouth dies down, and still, Patch pushes their knife through Robin’s throat until his head falls to the floor and rolls to their feet, useless. His body follows the second Brooke pulls her sword out.

Better safe than sorry.

Now that the fighting is done, uncomfortable silence fills the area. Patch stares at the head, laying at their feet. Robin’s dead eyes look up at them.

They’re going to be sick.

They can’t look away, as much as they wish they had never looked down in the first place. 

Brooke grabs Robin’s scout rifle from the body. “This isn’t right,” she whispers to Patch. “This should’ve never happened.”

But Patch is numb. They don’t even _blink._ They can’t speak, can’t look away. They’re so overwhelmed with pain and nausea and loss that their emotions revert to nothingness. And it hurts.

“Patch,” Brooke says, her voice a little more firm, a little louder. She grabs their shoulder and shakes it, but they don't move. 

There is nothing.

“We killed him,” they whisper hoarsely. “He was our friend and we killed him like it was nothing. Just another enemy on our hitlist, like Crota, like Oryx, like Ghaul, like every-... every enemy we’ve ever fought. He was our friend, Brooke.”

And for a moment they look like the young Guardian they truly are. Their eyes are wide, filling with tears. Ever since their resurrection, they’ve been stoic, distant, but this… This barely resembles the Patch that had urged Robin to think clearly after Cayde’s death.

“We’re going to hunt down Xivu Arath. And we’ll avenge him. You got that?” Brooke says. 

Patch swallows tightly and nods. “She’ll wish she’d never come to this _fucking_ system.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> p a i n


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is an angst fest and its so funny bc where im at in WRITING its. also kinda angsty but lowkey sweet. and then I get back and reread this before/while uploading and it hurts?? im hurting myself??? oops???? a lot of this chapter was me just throwing my own Depression Thoughts and what dissociating feels like. kinda. for me???? idk man. im just enjoying writing a self-indulgent villain au for mha and realizing that aside from his internal dialogue, at least what I've seen in the show, deku totally could have been like. an undercover villain with extreme manipulation abilities. which would be wack for a fifteen year old but hey. i can remember what its like being a traumatized fifteen year old and that does shit to you- ANYWAY this is a destiny fic enjoy the angst i have literally never lost someone closer to me than my grandpa so this is literally just me bullshitting stuff. im starting to understand this one dutch writer lady who came to our dutch class in 7th grade and told us to write from experience and I was like "that's bullshit I cant experience fantasy elements". she meant the LOSS and the PAIN you dumb f-

They take Robin’s scout rifle to Earth. Brooke holds it. 

Patch feels as though they will fall apart under its weight if they so much as touch it.

The Tower is bustling when they arrive in the afternoon. There’s noise everywhere, but it feels distant. As though they’re in a bubble, as though their body is walking on it’s own.

As though nothing is real.

Because it doesn’t feel real anymore. Nothing since killing Kridis, since gaining the power of the Darkness, has felt real.

Maybe Zavala was right. Maybe the Darkness is a bad power, maybe it was Stasis that led Robin to the Cryptolith and not Xivu Arath’s call, but they know that’s not true. 

He’ll probably say it anyway. “I told you,” he’ll probably tell them. “The Darkness is nothing but a curse upon humankind. You’re making a mistake.”

They want him to tell them off, if they’re being honest. They want the familiar stab of Zavala’s disappointed gazes. Maybe that will feel real.

Instead of that, Zavala looks at the scout rifle and places a hand upon their shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he just says. 

Why do people say they’re sorry when someone dies? Is it their fault? Does everyone regret each other’s mortality? 

Guardians, when they rise, they think they’re immortal.

They’re not. They’re just a little less mortal than humans. 

There is nothing but that hand and those words. Brooke hands the rifle to Ikora and they want to reach out, want to beg her to give it back, please give it back, it's all they have left of Robin, but Zavala's hand is heavy on their shoulder and they can't find it in themself to move. 

So they just watch her. Watch her look it over. Once. Twice. It's a good gun. 

"The Ace," Brooke then says. She looks at Patch. Patch doesn't look at her. "It's still in his room." 

Robin had gotten and fixed the Ace after Cayde's death. He'd barely ever used it. He didn't like hand cannons. 

He'd offered it to Patch.

Patch had said no. It had been Cayde's gun. It deserved better than one who hadn't cared for its owner.

They still stand by that sentiment. Even more so now that they have Robin's death on their name. 

"We will find a place for it. You should rest," Ikora says gently. 

Rest? 

How can they rest? 

They will shut their eyes and then they'll see Robin's dead face staring up at them again, cold and unseeing and- 

"Have they been like this since…?" Ikora wonders. She drifts off, but her intention is clear. 

Brooke nods. "They haven't spoken since swearing revenge on Xivu Arath either. I'm worried." 

Zavala lifts his hand off of Patch's shoulder and places his other on Brooke's. It's like a weight lifting from their body, despite Zavala's hand not being that heavy. 

"Take them home. Keep an eye on them," he tells her.

She nods. 

Home? 

Their apartment? With the door that leads to Robin's room, with the kitchen that Robin loved to cook in, with the couch the three of them always shared in their movie nights? 

What even is home, anymore? 

They know Zavala means their apartment.

They can't help but think of the Shore.

At least the Shore doesn't feel so _empty_. 

Brooke pulls them out of the room, and they let her. 

"Let's go," she says, her voice so impossibly soft despite her gripping their wrist tightly to prevent them from…

From what? Escaping? Falling over? 

Where would they go? Why would they fall over? 

Brooke knows every possible place they can go to. 

Robin died knowing they were lying to him. He died not knowing what that lie was. 

Is that how Xivu Arath had gotten to him? Exploiting that distrust between friends that Patch had sown with their secrets and their lies and their half-truths? 

Surely enough, Brooke leads them to the apartment. 

It feels wrong without Robin. It has felt this way since Robin vanished, but now… It’s worse. It’s so much worse.

“Please, Patch,” Brooke says as she locks the door behind them. “Talk to me.”

Patch laughs humorlessly, waving a hand around. “What is there to say? We killed Robin. He was our friend and we killed him and now here we are, in the apartment we have shared with him for as long as I can remember, and he’s dead.”

“Xivu Arath killed Robin.” Brooke places her hand on Patch’s shoulder, taking them into the living room. She guides them to the couch and they sit down.

Everything is _wrong._

“You want to tell me we didn’t kill him?”

“We killed the empty husk she left behind. Everyone says that. No one blames us.”

“I blame us.”

“Well, you’re wrong.”

She’s in denial. It’s obvious.

“Were you even watching when we killed him? You want to tell me it didn’t affect you at all?” There is no way Brooke can just deny what they did. There’s no way she can ignore the way she dug her sword into Robin’s chest. 

She can’t just say that the both of them had not killed their friend.

“Of course it affected me!” 

Patch winces. They hadn’t meant for Brooke to get upset, really, they-... Does it even matter anymore?

Either way, Brooke is still standing, towering over them. She takes a deep breath. “You think I don’t feel sick thinking about it? But guess what, Patch? He isn’t coming back. And he wasn’t coming back. He would have killed us.”

“Maybe he should have.”

“Don’t say that.”

“How can we live with the fact that we killed him? Lie to ourselves? Xivu Arath controlled him but we dealt the finishing blow.”

“How about this. He killed himself. He killed his Ghost.”

“Can we not talk about this anymore?” Patch gets up. They have had enough. “I’m going to bed.” And they do, not listening to Brooke calling out to them as they make their way into their room.

There’s a layer of dust on the furniture. The room is not dirty or cluttered aside from that, just clearly unused. It makes sense. Robin was always the cleanfreak of the apartment, and Brooke doesn’t do more than she has to. Patch hasn’t been to the apartment in a while. 

Still, they can’t be bothered to clean it. They’ll be gone from Earth soon enough.

They don’t change out of their armor before falling into their bed either. It’s uncomfortable, but they’ve slept in worse conditions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i PROMISE in a couple chapters itll be okay. like not okay as in they're over it but okay as in the angst fest is over and we get back to your regularly scheduled fun times with the barons.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really should take a break on my bnha villain au and continue this fic bc im at chspter 41

Soon enough ends up being within the same night. They toss and turn for what feels like hours before they get up. It’s two am, according to the clock. Brooke is in bed now too, probably.

The entire apartment is dark. Patch closes the door to their bedroom behind them.

Wait. 

Their eyes catch on the coat hanger on the hallway wall. Brooke’s coat is gone.

They glance at the door to Brooke’s room.

It’s open. She never leaves her door open when she’s inside, only when she isn’t.

So she left.

It makes them wonder when she left. Was it right after they had gone to their room? Had she also not been able to sleep? 

They know better than to chase after her. Even if she hadn’t left for no reason, they have no idea where in the City she could be. If she’s even in the City, and not running midnight missions by herself.

Somehow, it’s a soothing thought. That Brooke couldn’t sleep either, that she also had to distract herself from her thought. That her tough act was just that; an act.

Maybe they should go at least ask after her on the Tower. Make sure that she’s not actually running a mission by herself. 

They can’t find it in themself to do it.

“Please take us to our ship,” they say to Ghost.

They can almost sense his worry. 

“Are you sure?”

“Please, Ghost,” they repeat. They’re tired, but every time they shut their eyes, every time they  _ blink,  _ they see Robin’s dead face. The dark eye sockets. Black nothingness where purple light should have been.

It’s a haunting sight.

“Alright.” He’s quiet, gentle. He doesn’t want to oppose them. “I would never try to oppose you.”

“Are you sure?”

“I may not always agree with what you do, but we’re a team, right? We’re partners. I trust your judgment.”

Oh.

They force a small smile. “Thank you.”

He transmats them to the ship without a second thought. They leave the hangar before they can turn around, before someone can catch them leaving.

They don’t want to deal with that right now.

They drop into the pilot’s seat as Ghost steers the ship away. 

“You’re not gonna fall asleep while we fly, are you?” Ghost asks teasingly. 

Patch looks at him, their expression unchanging. “I already told you I couldn’t sleep.”

“I was joking, Patch.”

They look away. “I know.”

They just don’t have the energy to respond to the joke. To laugh with Ghost. Just the idea of laughing feels wrong. They killed Robin not even a day ago, to laugh now… 

“You can’t just mope forever. He wouldn’t want that for you. You know that,” Ghost says. He moves to them, cuddling into their cloak. 

“I’m not moping.”

Oh, if only Ghosts could express the way humans can. If he had hands, he would either be hugging them or hitting them. Who knows.

Possibly both.

“I’d hug you. Clearly you need it.”

Ah.

The rest of the flight is silent, Patch staring out of the window. They drift off, but they don’t fall asleep. They keep their eyes wide open, watching the stars pass. They can’t keep this up, they need sleep, but they will do it for as long as it takes.

By the time they arrive at the Tangled Shore, Patch is just a little drowsy. They should sleep. 

Maybe they’ll sleep better where they’re not reminded of Robin.

They transmat into their room. It’s quiet in the Lair. It’s resting time for the inhabitants of the Tangled Shore as well, it seems.

Time is different on the Shore.

Ghost transmats their armor off this time, and Patch drops face-first onto their cot.

Maybe they’ll sleep now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear this fic isnt all doom and gloom i swear-


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man i cant believe 2020 is almost over... its like 6 more hours for me-

“When did you get here?” Glint asks when they walk into the common area the next morning. 

They did sleep. Not much, perhaps only an hour or two, but they slept.

Their lack of sleep is probably visible on their face.

Patch runs a hand through their hair. “Last night. Couldn’t sleep in the City. Brooke and I shared our apartment with Robin. Felt wrong, without him.”

“This emotion is new on you,” Fikrul remarks. He is beside Crow, leaning down slightly to see their face better. “You look terrible.”

Well.

At least he’s honest.

“How’d you feel when you brought back all your siblings and realized you couldn’t bring Hiraks back?” they reply. They don’t mean to sound so snippy, but they’re already tired of grief. Of people noticing their grief.

Fikrul tilts his head, but he doesn’t pry further.

“I’m sorry. About Robin,” Crow says. “I didn’t know him well, but he seemed like a good friend.”

They scoff. “I wasn’t.”

“We can’t change what happened in the past,” Ghost remarks, popping up in front of Patch. “We just gotta be better in the future.”

Patch lets their gaze slide over the Scorned Barons in the room. They aren’t all here, but those that are are invested in their own little things. Fixing a gun. Crafting… whatever it is Araskes is crafting. Watching a movie on the TV Patch had dragged here when they had actually added furniture to this specific room, making it seem more like a living space rather than a temporary haven, three weeks ago.

Being better in the future, huh? 

It’s what Robin would have wanted. They can almost hear Zavala’s voice in their head saying it. ‘Robin would have wanted you to move on.’ 

It’s what everyone had told Robin after Cayde’s death. What he would have wanted.

It’s been two years since Cayde died and it still affected Robin until before he became Wrathborn. How long will they be reminded of Robin every step of the way?

Robin had hated the fact that Patch never acted like they cared about him in a way he understood and yet did with Crow, despite knowing Robin for six years and Crow for a week, back then.

And Patch had told him off for it. 

But they can improve now.

Too late.

Too late to save Robin. Too late to fix their friendship, too late to apologize…

“Patch?” Crow lightly shakes their shoulder.

Patch looks at him. “What is it?” they ask. They hadn’t even realized they had spiralled into their thoughts, but Crow looks as though they hadn’t been listening, so they suppose that is what happened.

“I was asking what you’re going to do today.”

“Oh.” They look away again. “I don’t know. Find Brooke. Crucible. Patrol."

Find Brooke first. She wasn’t at the apartment when they left. They hope that she is now, that they can ask about her whereabouts like they hadn’t left without saying anything either. At least Brooke knows where they are. It’s not like they have many places to go. Many places they would go.

Where would they have gone? The Vanguard? Osiris and Saint? The Derelict? Any other planet? 

They have spent more time on the Shore lately than any other planet. They have their own room here. Brooke knows that. If Brooke had returned to the apartment at whatever time she did, and wanted to find them, it would take her a lot less time to find them.

“What, you got something for me to do?” They force a grin.

Crow doesn’t return the smile. “The Cabal received a lot of reinforcements this morning. We’ll be working on that all day, probably, if you want to blow off a little steam.”

"What's a lot?" Ghost asks. 

"Too many. I'm assuming they found out about Spider's death and thought they can establish a base here." 

"Incredibly bad timing," Glint adds. "They get too close to the Cryptoliths and all their expanding is for nothing." 

Patch frowns. "Expanding?" 

"Aside from the reinforcements, I've gotten reports of them scouting the Jetsam of Saturn. There will be plenty left if you do return." 

"Good." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "whatever it is araskes is doing" what does she do. honestly


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy new year have 2 chapters because im NOT starting this year on leaving you with only angst. chapter 33 was an absolutely delight to write

Brooke doesn't look up when they enter. 

“Brooke?”

She startles. Did she not expect them?

But she doesn’t look up.

"When did you leave?" she asks from where she's sprawled out over the sofa, her leg over the backrest and her arm over the armrest. She's watching a movie. There's a bowl of popcorn on the floor beside her, her other hand half dipped into it.

They drop onto the sofa beside her feet, the small piece of the sofa where they can sit. "Two. You?" 

"Half past twelve." 

It's quiet again. 

"Where did you go?" Patch says.

She grabs a fistful of popcorn and shoves it into her mouth, still not looking at them. "Girlfriend," she says after swallowing.

Patch looks at her. "You have a girlfriend? Since when?" 

There's a small grin on Brooke's face now. "Couple months. She's a Warlock. She's really smart." 

“Could’ve told me before I started worrying last night. I thought you were in danger.”

“You left, too.”

“You knew I would. You knew where I’d go.”

“Yeah. Why did you leave?”

“Why did I leave? Why did you?”

“I didn’t-... I couldn’t stay here. I was texting her and she offered to let me stay with her. So I did. Honestly, by the time I left, I thought you were already gone.” She picks up the bowl of popcorn and, still without looking, offers it to Patch.

Patch takes a handful. “I couldn’t stay either. Feels wrong. After what we did.”

“You’re still hung up on that?”

“What did you do? With your girlfriend?”

“I-...” Brooke sighs. “I cried, okay? I couldn’t stand being alone and I thought you had left the second you had closed your door behind you.”

“I didn’t leave until after you did because I didn’t want to leave you alone.” Would they have left if Brooke had still been there? They’re not sure. Her being gone had been part of the reason, however. That’s enough, isn’t it?

Isn’t it?

“Oh.” And she’s silent again, stuffing another handful of popcorn into her mouth. 

“And does this mystery girlfriend have a name?” Clearly, they are not getting anywhere with talking about last night, or the circumstances of Robin’s death. 

“Ashley.” Ashley the Warlock. Ashley, Brooke’s girlfriend. Ashley…

They’ve never met her.

“And were you ever planning on telling me? Robin?” There it is again. Robin. There is no way to get around it. 

“I told Robin a month ago. You know, when you decided you didn’t live here anymore and moved in with your Shore buddies. What, you’re gonna date a Scorn now, too?” 

Date a Scorn? Is she insane? “Just because I’m friendly with them-”

“Friendly with them?” she finally sits up, finally looks at them.

Somewhere they wish she hadn’t.

“In the last _month,_ how many nights did you sleep here? They’re your friends. And I know you’re doing it for Crow, but I’m starting to think you’re doing it for the Scorn now, too. You missed Iron Banner _and_ the first two weeks of the Dawning. If you think Robin hated the fact that you’re so chummy with Crow, you _know_ he would have despised how much time you spend around the Scorned Barons. Maybe you’re lucky he became Wrathborn before he found out.”

Lucky? They would rather have Robin alive and well and not talking to them than him never knowing because they had to kill him. Even if he would hate them, at least he’d be feeling _something._

At least they wouldn’t have his dead face burnt into the backs of their eyelids, showing up every time they close their eyes.

… Wait. They missed Iron Banner? And the Dawning?

The front door opens.

Patch glances at the hall, where a human Warlock holding a bag of what seems to be groceries is walking inside.

They don’t know what they expected. Robin?

Ha. Fool.

It has to be Ashley.

“Oh,” she says when her gaze catches on them. “Hi?”

She seems so incredibly… normal. She’s just human. She has a kind smile on her face. It’s just… Brooke’s girlfriend. Bringing groceries. Owning the keys to the apartment.

How long has she had keys to the apartment?

… Had they been absent for that much?

“Hold up,” she then says, quickly darting into the kitchen. She knows her way around. It’s not difficult, of course, the apartment isn’t really that complicated or big, but she walks with a confidence only someone who’s been here before can walk with.

She returns with empty hands. “You’re the Young Wolf, aren’t you? Patch?” she asks, sticking out her hand to them. “We hadn’t expected you to come here, but I can leave if you’d like. I’m Ashley, by the way. Brooke’s girlfriend.”

Patch shakes her hand. 

“So I heard,” they say with a glance to Brooke.

She’s turned back to the TV. 

They look back at Ashley. Get to their feet. “No, I’ll leave. Didn’t plan to stay here long, anyway.”

That’s a lie. They had planned to stay a little longer. They want to be a better friend to Brooke. Robin may be gone, but Brooke is still here. They can still change for Brooke.

Honestly, finding out Brooke has a girlfriend with keys to their apartment should have been their sign that they have been an even worse friend than they had thought. 

Their friendship has to be repairable. It has to be. 

"Take care of her," they say, patting Ashley's shoulder before they make their way to the hall.

"Where are you going?" Brooke calls after them.

As if she doesn't know. 

As if the whole reason they're so tense isn't the fact that she told them off about it.

"Shore," they answer, anyway, because it's not like it matters. 

And they leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "are you gonna date a scorn" "no"  
> me, glancing nervously at my plans for this fic and the shit ive already attempted to draw: are you SURE ~~also the soft MESS that is one of the chapters ive already written and i think it was like 38 or 39 but i cant remember~~


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back to "cody cant actually write sctions scenes without adding 90% dialogue" featuring the barons again!! look!! theyre there!!
> 
> also this arc. which ive dubbed the Cabal Invasion Arc in my mind, features the barons a lot more. aside from the dawning chapters but theyre just fluffy filler
> 
> happy new year gang, heres to hoping 2021 will be less hot garbage

"Look who finally decided to show up," Pirrha drawls. He's in his nest, likely the first to even see Patch arrive on their sparrow. 

They hop off, the vehicle crashing into a group of Cabal, going up in flames and taking the Cabal with it. 

"What, couldn't handle it without me?" Patch shoots back. 

It sounds a little forced.

Despite that, the Rifleman laughs. 

"How was the City?" Glint says. They can hear Crow's hard breathing over the comms, the sounds of battle. 

They shoot a legionary in the head. "Apparently it's been the Dawning for two weeks," they say. "Not to mention Brooke has had a girlfriend for two months. Who has keys to our apartment." They make their way to the bigger battle and throw themself into the fight. They've never cared much for danger. 

Maybe it's a little worse now. 

Not that it matters. They're a Guardian. If something goes wrong, Ghost will just bring them back. 

"Brooke has a girlfriend?" Glint doesn't go in on the Dawning. 

Crow has never been to a Dawning party. 

"Yeah," they say as they punch a psion in the face and throw their grenade at a group of unsuspecting Cabal, freezing them in place. 

Reksis Vahn smashes them to bits with a laugh. 

"She's a human Warlock. Very bubbly and sweet. Her name's Ashley." 

They can see Crow freezing. It's only a split second, not enough for the Cabal to get him, but it's visible nonetheless. 

"You know her?" Ghost asks as Patch is running out of breath from talking and fighting at the same time. 

"We met a human Warlock named Ashley once." Glint pauses. "Met is a strong word." 

“What happened?” Ghost asked. He sounds worried. Obviously. 

Patch throws a frozen shuriken at a set of psions, exploding them in shards of ice. “She hurt you. Didn’t she?” 

“Yes.” 

They shoot a phalanx in the center of its shield and then in its head. 

“It was a long time ago, anyway,” Glint says, sounding cautiously optimistic. “We’re fine, now.”

“You want to tell us she wouldn’t do it again?” Ghost wonders. 

“No,” Crow says shortly. 

Their eyes meet over the battlefield. It’s only a second. They can’t afford to stay still, of course. 

Patch turns at the sound of heavy footsteps behind them and has their knife in the legionary’s throat before it can even try to attack them.

“A lot of Guardians hate us. For what Uldren did. You can’t change that, Patch,” Glint says gently. “We can live with it. We’ve been living with it.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have to,” Ghost says.

“Can we  _ please  _ have a heart-to-heart  _ after  _ the battle?” Elykris finally calls out over comms.

She’s right. 

Patch buries their knife between the ribs (or what they presume are the ribs) of a psion.

“Their leader is escaping,” Pirrha says. The sightline of his crossbow moves through Patch’s view to the retreating leader. 

A primus?

They’re not sure. They can barely see it from their angle. It’s hidden behind the shields of multiple phalanxes. Their shields overlap, especially on the side where Pirrha likely is. 

Even if they had the ability to pull out their sniper rifle and take aim without being killed by the Cabal surrounding them, they doubt they could shoot the Primus either.

Clever.

“Please,” Yaviks drawls over the loud noises of her pike. It’s impossible to miss the way she crosses Sorik’s Cut at high speed, killing multiple Cabal soldiers just by hitting them with her pike.

The primus yells something in Ulurant, and a large psion throws something. It’s almost impossible to see, but it flies through the air toward Yaviks. 

Whatever it is, it latches onto the pike and the pike comes to a halt. 

The primus laughs.

Kaniks tries as well, throwing a bomb at the primus, but it bounces off of the phalanxes’ shields and falls to the ground, exploding after the primus has already vanished. 

The silence after all the Cabal soldiers have left is deafening.

“What was that?” Glint asks. “Yaviks, you okay?”

Yaviks is already off her pike, prying the device off of it.

It still doesn’t start. 

“Oh, I am fine,” she says. “Elykris, what the hell is this thing?”

Elykris approaches her and takes the device from her hand. “I am… unsure. What did it do?”

“Well, clearly it broke my pike. Nothing is visibly wrong with it, but it does not start anymore.”

“Making me wonder what else it could be used on,” Patch murmurs. Is it only for pikes? They wouldn’t make a device specifically to go against pikes. Sure, it would slow down Eliksni and Scorn by a  _ lot,  _ but the Scorn and Eliksni are not the only ones defending the Shore, and the majority of them usually don’t have pikes anyway.

“What if it disables technology and can disable a Ghost?” Crow says, looking at Glint. 

Glint is hovering over his shoulder. “Could they do that?”

“I doubt the Cabal are that technologically advanced,” Elykris says, but she sounds unsure of it herself. “I will see if I can figure out what it does.”

“Make it quick,” Yaviks mutters.

Elykris laughs. “It will take as long as it takes!” she says as she vanishes.

“One day, I am going to kill her.”

“Please, don’t,” Fikrul says. He pats her shoulder. “I am sure your pike will be fine.”

“Oh, you’re  _ sure _ , aren’t you.”

“Go home, Yaviks.”

She raises her brow, but she doesn’t oppose Fikrul. 

She leaves, taking her pike with her. The other barons leave, too.

“That primus…” Crow looks in the direction in which the primus vanished.

Patch places a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll beat him. It’s not like we haven’t faced worse.”

“We?” Crow asks. 

Right. “Well, I’ve faced worse. But we have an army. I didn’t have one back then. It’s just a primus, I’ve defeated their dominus and former emperor.”

Oh, they remember those fights. Dominus Ghaul, with his need to conquer everything in his path. With the bright apparition of Light that barely held itself together, the first time they felt that they would  _ lose _ . 

If it hadn't been for the Traveler, they would have. 

And then their former emperor, Calus, with his large ship consuming Nessus and his extravagant halls. Patch had gone in with a raid team at the emperor's invitation. And again. And another time. Calus showering all six of them in praise, but Patch maybe just a little more. Especially once he'd opened up the Menagerie.

Patch had spent quite some time on the Leviathan, more than any of their friends. They found they enjoyed the endless praise. It had been an absolutely fantastic way to cheer them up after bad missions. The lavish rewards, the gold-adorned clothes, the almost reverent touches of fingers the size of their arm-

“Okay.” Crow looks like he’s about to leave, when he turns back to them. Oh, right. They should leave the reminiscing for later. “Thank you for being here. You’re a good friend.”

And he vanishes.

A good friend, huh?

“He’s right, you know.” Ghost nudges their neck. “You’re a good friend.”

They lower their gaze, but they don’t say anything.

"Now why were you thinking so much about Calus again?" 

Their gaze darts back up to the Ghost in an instant. "Shut up," they mutter, but there's no heart behind it. Ghost knows of their… complicated feelings and thoughts regarding Calus. 

Well, it all matters little now. Sure, they miss the easy way to blow off some steam, but to say they miss Calus? 

Ha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK so about the calus thing. if you follow my tumblr youll have known it was a hc gone out of hand and i blame luna for enabling me. yes i know youre reading this. you know i blame you. look at patch. theyve got a praise kink probably stemming from adhd now
> 
> like id mentioned that i was like. lowkey into calus. bc voice + praise kink does that to a bitch. and patch is 75% self-insert, compared to ocs i have like ziath who is actually just me but they/them and a different name, so i was like "i COULD imply that patch had a thing with calus" and SOMEONE was like "do it" and then i did it. and it became more than an implication. patch fucked calus and it all started with me wanting to be that fucker's sugar baby. im sorry


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really should continue writing or yall will catch up soon-

“So?” Yaviks asks when Elykris finally wanders into the common room, when Patch is already drifting off. They’ve had a long day, and they haven't slept that much. They’re curled up on the corner of the couch, right beside Crow.

Crow doesn’t seem all too awake either.

The barons are wide awake, still. Alert. 

“I am guessing your pike is already functional again?” Elykris says from the doorway. 

“And it has been for at least half the time you were gone. You should still tell us what the hell that thing was.” 

“Well, I do not know its name. What I do know is that it is made to temporarily shut down any and all technology it gets attached to. Pikes, guns, presumably even your Ghosts. I would ask to try it out, but-”

“No!” came the almost synchronized voices of Ghost and Glint.

Elykris nods. “That.”

“All technology?” Fikrul asks. 

“It seems strong enough.” Elykris shrugs. “I cannot test it, however. It only has one use. Easier to manufacture in bulk and only use each once than to waste more resources to make it reusable. It can latch onto just about anything and it contains a powerful magnet so it attaches easier.” She spins the device in her hand. “I would expect them to make it destroy whatever it gets attached to, but I suppose they did not have the technology for that. It is quite typical for Cabal technology.”

“But if they can deactivate our technology…,” Crow says slowly.

“Temporarily,” Ghost corrects.

“How temporarily?” Glint hovers over the back of the couch, looking at Elykris. 

“Depends on the technology. I assume your pike took about two hours, Yaviks?”

Yaviks frowns. “Somethin’ like that.”

“Well, that is to be expected. It is quite primitive and simple, so it takes longer than, say, a Ghost.”

“Primitive?!” Yaviks pushes herself off the wall.

“When’s the last time you got a new one and didn’t just modify this one?”

“Oh, shut up you-!”

“Can we please stop yelling at each other?” Patch groans, lifting their legs up to their chest. “Yaviks, your pike is perfectly fine. Elykris, stop being mean.”

Both baronesses look at them in stunned silence.

“Thank you.” 

“If you’re so tired, just go to bed,” Glint says. “If something happens, we’ll wake you up. Promise.”

Patch yawns. “Promise?”

“Promise,” Crow says. 

They get up off the couch and make their way to their room. Ghost remains cuddled into the lowered hood of their cloak, and doesn’t move far when they remove their armor. 

And before they fall asleep, they realize they haven’t thought about Robin since the battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so the next three chapters are dawning themed :) i really wish i could continue taking story elements from the game itself but 1. i havent played in a couple of days and 2. seasons are slow as fuck. am i gonna have to play again soon to get that fuckin cloak ornament that i want so bad?? yes. am i gonna enjoy doing it?? probably not i just wanna play ac valhalla and write gay shit about mha characters 
> 
> ALSO yes i know about the rivalry between elykris and reksis vahn but as a certified Sibling i feel the need to write characters being mean to their Siblings. like yes the Barons are siblings. and fikrul is the only responsible one.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im fucking exhausted lmaooo i said i was gonna write more over the holidays but instead i bought 3 games-

“Brooke is calling,” Ghost murmurs to wake them up. 

Patch groans. “Why?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

They sigh. Well, better now than later.

“What is it, Brooke?” they mutter as they answer the call and set to putting on their armor for the day. 

Brooke breathes a sigh of relief. “I was really worried when you left, yesterday. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Eva offered to help us bake some cookies for our new “mystery friend”. Do you want to come?”

They look around their room. Strange, how this became more of a home to them than their apartment.

It feels like the offer coming from Brooke is more an offer of reconciliation. Like she regrets the conversation they had yesterday, the way Patch had left.

They almost want to say no. There is nothing about Brooke that doesn’t remind him of Robin, whether it is what they talk about or just the gaping void to their other side where Robin always was. Being on the Shore means being distracted. The barons are loud enough of themselves to keep them from thinking about Robin, and if they are quiet, there’s always something to do.

“Sure,” they say. Being a better friend. For Robin. No matter how much it hurts to return to the Tower. 

“Thank you. I’ll see you in the Tower, then,” she says, before hanging up.

Patch looks at Ghost.

“You did the right thing,” he says. “Not to mention, Crow deserves a Dawning gift.”

“Crow deserves better than just  _ cookies,  _ Ghost,” they sigh, running a hand down their face and through their hair. “I wish Zavala would just trust us.”

“I mean… We are lying to him.”

“No. Half-truths. It’s true that we saved Crow. It’s true that we killed Robin.” They freeze. “Do you think Brooke would tell Zavala about the Scorn if we do fight too much?”

“She’d never… She’s our friend, Patch. She’s a good person. She won’t do that to you.”

“I hope you’re right. If the Vanguard finds out about us working with the Scorn…”

“They will. One day.”

“One day, yes. Hopefully when they’re ready for it.”

“Will they ever be ready for it?”

“Saint doesn’t mind our alliances with Mithrax and Variks and he’s known as the Kellbreaker.”

“Patch…”

“This alliance can only be good for us. The City needs all the allies it can possibly have, Zavala has to be able to see that. Eventually.”

“You believe in them, don’t you?” Ghost watches them get up and walk to the door.

Patch chuckles softly. “I guess I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i cant believe the dawning chapters are within the dawning. iconic. very cool of me.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so it was my mom's birthday yesterday and like... it was the third full school day I went through since I STARTED the fic so even tho I have online classes I may actually forget to upload more often and also. i might not write that much. bc school. also ao3 was down this morning and yes I did almost have a mental breakdown over that because it was 7 am and if I don't get my morning hour of scrolling aimlessly through ao3 and reading drabbles before classes my entire day will be ruined.

“I’m sorry. About yesterday,” Brooke says as Patch appears before her. “I should have told you about Ashley.”

Ashley. One of many Guardians who have hurt Crow. Crow, of course, said it was no big deal, but can they really just let her walk free? 

Oh, they can already hear Zavala yelling at them just at the  _ thought.  _

Huh. Maybe it’s a good thing they hadn’t been there for Iron Banner. Saladin’s disappointed face is not that difficult to visualize either.

And who knows if the Ashley that hurt Crow is the same Ashley as the one Brooke is dating. For all they know, there’s another human Warlock named Ashley. It’s not an uncommon name.

“It’s fine,” Patch says. “We were both upset, weren’t we?”

“It hurts. That we had to kill Robin. And I directed that hurt to you.”

“I did the same to you. Don’t mention it.”

It’s still tense between them as they make their way to Eva, but they’re no longer angry. They’re okay. They’re both okay.

Their friendship is fragile, but okay.

“Patch!” Eva greets cheerfully, her arm hooking around their neck to almost drag them to where she is baking her cookies. “How have you been? I heard you made a new friend?”

They open their mouth to correct her, to say “multiple friends, actually”, but they decide against it, shut their mouth, and nod.

“Clearly because this person is a new friend, they have not tasted your cookies!” Eva then says, nudging them in the side. “We must make them an extra batch.”

“I do have a job-”

“Nonsense. Baking cookies is your job today. Chop chop.” 

Patch sighs, already making their way to the cookie dough. They very much doubt Crow has ever eaten something City-made, something high quality. They don’t consider their cookies to be that good, but they’ve satisfied numerous people, so perhaps…

Maybe they can even make some for the barons!

Eva turns to Brooke. “Did I say you could stand around doing nothing? Help them!” she commands in an ever cheery tone. It’s almost terrifying. “You’ve both missed out on two weeks of cookie-baking, so now you must catch up! Now, I have to get moving. When I get back, I want to see at least three batches of cookies for all your friends!”

She leaves the two alone in her makeshift kitchen.

“Let me guess, you’re making some for the Scorn? Do they even eat?” Brooke says. She doesn’t  _ sound  _ upset about it.

Patch shrugs. “I actually don’t recommend eating with them, but they eat. Whether they do it because they need to or because they like food, I’m not sure, though.” They look up at her. “You’re making a batch for Ashley?”

She… smiles. She genuinely smiles at the thought of Ashley. A smile they haven’t seen on her since Robin left. “It’s our first Dawning together,” she explains. “I want to make it special.”

“Okay, sap.” Patch snorts. “We get it, you have a girlfriend.”

Her laughter fills the room. She gently bumps her hip against Patch’s side. “What, are you jealous?”

"Please. Do I look jealous?" They turn their head to her, their eyebrows raised. Their hands continue with the cookie dough. 

Brooke puts one hand to her chin, taking her time to study their face before she turns back to her own bowl. "Extremely." 

"What is she like? Ashley?" They lower their gaze to their bowl. Almost done. 

"She's really smart. Kind. She's a good cook. I met her in a library, believe it or not. Her favorite books are classics from before the Golden Age." 

It's clear that Brooke is in love. Everything she says about Ashley is spoken almost in a dreamy tone. 

Two months is nothing in the average Guardian's lifespan if Osiris and Saint are anything to go by, but despite having been together for such a short time, it looks as though Brooke is ready to give up everything for Ashley.

Maybe that's what makes Patch fall quiet. If this is the same Ashley who hurt Crow, if she does it again… What will happen to their friendship with Brooke?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here you go. cookie baking fluff. for the dawning. im gonna go watch assassination classroom now bc im too exhausted to play videogames. i did NOT miss how full school days make my depression really bad. maybe ill read more of the mha manga with the tiny shigaraki smiling in my corner because he's the only thing that makes me happy rn


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im updating this inbetween classes haha the next chapter is genuinely my favorite so far. like chapter 38??? good shit

Ghost transmats two large bags filled with Dark Ether-based cookies onto the center table, another one appearing in Patch's hand for them and Crow. 

Crow eyes the bags suspiciously. "What is this?" he asks. 

Patch merely offers their bag to Crow. "Please tell me you know what Dawning is." 

"I do, but… This…" 

"I know they don't really care," they say with a gesture to the barons already making their way to the bags. Drawn to them like moths to a flame. "But baking cookies is a City tradition. Every year, Brooke, Robin, and I used to bring around batches of cookies to our mutual friends together. Brooke and I did that, but most that I made, I made for here. I know it's only been a month, but it feels a lot longer. I wish my Dawning gift to you could be to take you to the City and show you the Traveler, but…" 

"It's perfect, Patch," Crow says softly. He takes out a cookie and eats it. He shuts his eyes for a moment, relishing in it. "You're good at baking."

They smile. "I'm glad you like it. That's what six years of forced cookie baking does to a person." 

Crow merely laughs. His eyes sparkle when he opens them. He's bright. Carefree. 

Patch feels a pang of pride at the sight. They allowed this to happen. Because of them, Crow is now enjoying his Dawning with cookies and a home instead of out and about in the cold on Earth. Maybe they'll ask Osiris and Saint to come over tomorrow. Dawning is a time for family.

Even if that family is found and as strange as theirs.

Crow's laughter stops. Patch opens their mouth to ask, but he lifts a hand. 

After a good couple minutes, he sighs. "The Cabal have claimed Sorik's Cut. They're setting up a military base and their scouts are scouting both the Jetsam of Saturn and the Cobble. If we don't strike back soon, they'll be here. Our forces are fighting out there, but the Cabal have made more of the devices and apparently versions that send out a pulse to disable everything around it." 

Patch frowns. Really? Right now? "Assholes can't even respect Dawning," they mutter as the two of them turn back to the barons. 

They must have been alerted by what Crow had said, because, aside from a couple of them still shoving their last cookies into their mouths, they look ready for action. 

"Well, I guess we don't need to fill you in," Crow says. He crosses his arms. "We'll be leaving shortly." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep being like "haha gay" but patch is nonbinary?? is it really gay??? is it straight??? i always call myself gay but whatever dude
> 
> I KNOW canonically the yw is bad at baking but consider: crow doesn't know what cookies are supposed to taste like. there's no proof that he hates the yw's baking


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a chapter of more than 500 words??? more "i don't know how to write action scenes"??? you got it

Kaniks’s bomb signals the start of the battle. He throws it to where a group of Cabal soldiers are close together, and limbs fly through the air when it explodes.

And then there’s just chaos.

The distant cackle of Yaviks rushing through soldiers, the revving of the Lament in Patch’s hands, the taste of oil and coolant in the air, mixing with dark Ether as the Cabal soldiers take down as many Scorn as they themselves decrease in number. The primus is nowhere to be seen, although it is rather difficult to see through the explosions and smoke. 

There’s a yell, undoubtedly from a Cabal soldier, behind them.

When Patch turns to face it, they instead look up at Reksis Vahn. 

The Baron barely pauses to give them a nod before moving on.

They can’t be stunned during battle, so they aren’t, but still… Reksis Vahn doesn’t talk. They’ve never heard him talk, anyway. Nothing but laughter.

But the Cabal behind them, it would have killed them easily.

They didn’t need saving, of course, but the sentiment counted and the sentiment was… confusing. 

Huh.

“Look,” Ghost says, directing their gaze to the large psions in the back. “They’re preparing to launch.”

Surely enough, the psions are grabbing devices from a stack behind them.

Patch doubts the stack is all the Cabal have, but there’s a small hope in the back of their mind that if they can somehow get rid of that stack without triggering the devices…

But they’ll have to reach it first.

And there’s a small army of Cabal soldiers between their army and the stack of devices. 

They stab their knife into the neck of a legionary, spin around, and throw two shurikens at an incendior and gladiator. Three more soldiers fall to their hand cannon and a seventh falls to the Lament. 

Wait.

There’s no way it’d be this simple.

The psions here are not throwing their devices. They must be waiting for the right time, but several of the Barons, Scorn, and Patch are all fighting relatively isolated, coming through the frontlines at different angles.

Unless…

“It’s a trap,” they whisper, soft enough for their comms not to pick it up. They turn around, and surely enough, there’s a squad of Cabal soldiers nearing the pathway to Pirrha’s nest. “Pirrha, get out of there, it’s a trap!” they yell as they start to run that way.

They're not fast enough. The squad has found the source of the Rifleman's sightline and the psion throws a device up at the crooked, glass-less windows, there's a flash-

Nothing seemingly changes other than the sightline vanishing. There's still the noises of fighting behind them, gunshots and laughter and explosions mixing together, overwhelming Patch's senses, but something feels  _ wrong.  _ They can feel it in their gut, a growing unease as they quickly dispose of the Cabal soldiers already making their way up to the nest. There's dead Scorn laying outside the nest, but the Cabal haven't made it inside. 

"Who's there?" Pirrha asks. He's in the corner. 

He sounds almost scared.

He's not looking at them directly, either. 

"It's just me, relax," Patch says after turning off their microphone. They stay in the doorway, gun still in hand. It wouldn't be surprising if the Cabal would send yet another squad to pick up the slack.

The Rifleman chuckles, the sound miserable. "Look who finally decided to show up."

Patch pulls off their helmet. "Are you okay?"

"What's going on back there?" Crow asks over comms before Pirrha can answer. 

Not that he would.

Patch eyes the Rifleman for a couple of silent seconds, before reopening their comms. "They tried to kill Pirrha," they say grimly. "Is the primus anywhere?" 

"No," Crow answers. "But we're about done here. They've retreated." 

It is rather quiet. The noises of the battle already were a lot quieter over here, across the area, but only now they realize the shooting and the explosions have stopped. 

"Gotcha. We're on our way," they say, before turning off their comms again. They approach Pirrha. "C'mon. We should go."

"I can't."

"...Why not?" 

Pirrha's fingers flex around the handle of his crossbow, his eyes still seemingly looking through them. Empty. "I can't see," he says, right when Patch starts to think he's not going to say anything at all. 

Patch frowns. "You're the best sniper in the Reef… and you can't see."

"No need to rub it in." Pirrha sighs, shifting. "I was born blind. Got kicked out of my House for it, too. Fixed it with technology. But they didn't know that. Couldn't have known that."

"You can hardly stay here," they say. "What if they come back?" 

"What, you're not going to stay and stand guard?" 

"As though I'd willingly spend that long alone with you," Patch retorts, but there's not a shred of seriousness in their voice. They crouch down beside him. "C'mon. They're waiting for us." 

"And how, exactly, do you propose we get down there?" 

"I'll be your eyes." 

_ "What?"  _

They place their hand over one of his. He jerks under the sudden touch, but doesn't move away. Their hand is barely as big as his finger, but they only linger on that thought for a moment. "Do you trust me?" they ask, and that's a terrible question, they  _ killed  _ him once. 

"Barely," the Rifleman answers with a snort. 

Patch sighs. "Just get up. If I wanted you dead again, I would have shot you the second I realized you couldn't see." 

"That is not even half as helpful as you think it is," Pirrha remarks, though he does push himself to his feet. 

They grab his wrist. Their hand doesn't fit around it like it would a human wrist, but it's enough for the current purpose.

"The only thing between us and the others is a grav lift. You know that. This is your nest." 

They're terrible at this, aren't they? They step back toward the grav lift, settling their feet on the edge. It's almost like a dance in a way. Pirrha is far closer than usual. He even grasps Patch's arm, careful not to tug at it, but still holding it like a lifeline.

He really is afraid, huh? 

He shuffles onto the edge, and they descend together. 

"Elykris! How long until his eye is functional again?" Patch asks. 

She looks at them, at their hand still latched onto Pirrha's wrist. Pirrha's hand still clasped around their arm. "An hour or so, I believe." 

Fikrul steps past her. "What happened?" he asks, and judging from Crow's face, the other Hunter is wondering the same. 

Pirrha remains uncharacteristically silent.

"Divide and conquer," Patch mutters thoughtfully, shifting their weight between their feet. "All of us were within shouting distance of one another. I'm guessing they realized Pirrha was alone and decided to focus on that. Once I realized the entire battle was just a trap, it was already almost too late. I did not expect such strategies from the Cabal of all creatures." 

"It's not going to work," Fikrul says resolutely. "Never again." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fact that pirrha is blind without his cybernetic eye and is probably not used to being blind anymore/has some remaining trauma from it lives rentfree in my brain. its tomura shigaraki's neighbor.
> 
> "do you trust me" - the person who killed him once


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really gotta stop uploading stuff inbetween classes

When the two Guardians and the Scorned Barons transmat back to Thieves Landing, both Brooke and Osiris are there waiting for them. 

"What happened?" Osiris asks.

Brooke is unreadable behind her helmet, but somehow Patch just knows their proximity to Pirrha is making her uncomfortable. She has plenty of reasons to feel that way, too. "Whatever it is, it'll have to wait. My girlfriend asked if she could run with us for a bit," Brooke says, looking directly at Patch.

"And you didn't think to call? Ask me for input?" Patch asks. They try not to sound hurt, but fail miserably. How can they not? Brooke  _ knows  _ other Guardians can't see the Barons. Most of them hate Crow, too.

“I called.” Brooke crosses her arms. "You didn't answer." 

Right.

"So she'll join us for a hunt, I'm guessing. How long do we have?" 

Brooke's Ghost is the one to answer. "About twenty minutes," she says. 

Patch swears under their breath. They'd hoped to at least take a short nap after that stressful battle, and now they're going to have to deal with Brooke's girlfriend. 

"And is your girlfriend aware of Crow?" Patch lightly tugs the blind Pirrha along as they start walking back to the lair. At least Pirrha can safely sit out the timer of the devices there.

Brooke keeps her distance. "Yes. I told her we're working with him and she said it was fine." 

Patch is  _ still  _ suspicious, but they can hardly tell Brooke to call it off. If anything, that would make Brooke upset. Ashley was very kind when they met her, so maybe it will be fine. Maybe they’re just worrying too much. “Alright,” they say, reaching out to touch Brooke’s shoulder. They’re not sure why. To appease her?

“We need a warlock, anyway. We can’t keep going with just the two of us,” she continues. “Ashley is good. And she doesn’t use Stasis.”

That’s… a plus? Well, they suppose it is. “Why?” they ask, because they know the temptation of the Darkness almost intimately. Because there’s many reasons why someone wouldn’t.

Brooke shrugs. “I’m guessing it’s because Zavala said not to. She trusts the Vanguard’s judgment. As one should,” she says, adding the last sentence with a look that Patch can feel despite Brooke’s helmet still covering her entire face. 

They haven’t listened to the Vanguard since… since Cayde’s death? Before then? They can’t remember. It feels like nothing about them has changed in the six years that they have been Guardian, and yet… Everything has changed. 

Six years ago they wouldn’t have been leading a blinded former enemy who is also twice their height. Probably.

“A little doubt is healthy,” Patch says lightly. “Zavala and Ikora, they’re just people. They make mistakes.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re not centuries older than us and have far more experience than us.”

“None of us have experience with the Darkness, Brooke.” Patch lifts their free hand. Small crystals of ice form in their palm. The Darkness seems harmless in this shape. Beautiful. They switch their gaze between where they’re walking and the ice in their hand. Usually, they don’t look where they’re walking at all, but with a very on-edge, blind Pirrha still latched onto their arm… “They don’t know the good we can do with it.” They let the ice melt in their hand. It doesn’t melt like normal ice, it merely dissipates. 

“The good…” Brooke pauses in the doorway. She doesn’t follow them inside.

Patch sends her a short, confused glance, but they don’t ask. “Won’t you look at that,” they mutter as they guide Pirrha to the couch. “Was that so terrible?”

“Shut up.”

They snort. “Just sit down. I gotta go.” They pause. “You can let go of my arm now.”

The couch dips under his weight when he sits down, and as soon as he’s settled, he releases his grasp on Patch’s arm. “Thank you,” he mumbles.

Patch grins. “What was that?” 

“I am not repeating myself.”

“I didn’t expect you to. It was nothing. That’s just… That’s just what friends do, isn’t it?” 

Pirrha frowns, more confused than opposed to the idea, but he doesn’t respond. 

“Patch, c’mon. She’ll be here soon,” Brooke calls from the doorway.

Patch sighs and pulls their helmet back on. “I’m on my way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love the "you can let go now" thing. like in like... things. just generally. when two people not really like each other or even if they're friends but ones just not affectionate but they're scared for whatever reason so they hold hands and they just... don't let go. so in the end the other person has to be like "we've been safe for twenty minutes you can let go now" good shit
> 
> im really shivery today and i think i might be getting sick again which is bULlshit i was sick like a month ago i don't need it again.
> 
> ALSO i know the new mission is out but i haven't been playing destiny much so im level 1245 and the mission is 1250 and i don't have high level ppl to pull me through it so....


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my life is just a cycle of play videogames all day every day for a year and then watch anime 24/7 for a year. im currently in anime mode. im watching aot n have you seen levi. from a distance it looks like hes 12. making fun of his height is the only thing that brings me joy anymore. whatever in 2 days the upload has caught up so if the uploads slow... oops??

“Hey, Patch!” Ashley says, already half-buried in Brooke’s arms. There’s a bright smile on her face as she looks at them. “I hope you don’t mind me running with you today. I had nothing to do, and I was curious what you two do on normal days. Everyone hears of your heroics of course, but this…” She gestures at the Shore around them. “No one mentions the little things you do that keep us safe.”

They want to say it doesn’t matter. Want to tell her that they’re not even close to the hero she’s imagining, but their tongue is tied. What if this  _ is  _ the Ashley that hurt Crow? What if, behind all the kind smiles and sweet laughs, there’s cruelty?

Not to mention the fact that Ashley joining them… It feels as though they’re replacing Robin. Like Brooke has already moved on, is already seeking replacement. The Vanguard still doesn’t have a Hunter Vanguard and Cayde died two years ago, but they have to find a replacement for Robin now?

It has been so short. There’s no way they can accept that so easily.

Still, they put on a smile. “Thank you,” they say. “That means a lot.”

It really doesn’t.

“So!” Ashley claps her hands. “What will we be doing?”

“Hunting Wrathborn. As we have been doing for a month or so. There’s been some trouble on the Shore with Cabal, but we can’t ignore the Wrathborn,” Patch says as Ghost transmats their lure into their open hands. They configure it as they continue talking. “We’re chasing HKD-1 today. They haven’t brought Savek back, and I don’t feel like leaving the Shore right now.”

Brooke snorts. “Why?” she asks drily, as though she doesn’t know.

“If the Cabal regroup faster than expected, I don’t want them to take Crow off-guard.” Or the Scorn, but that little tidbit stays unspoken. If Ashley really is as loyal to the Vanguard as Brooke said… 

Well. Even if she isn't, they still wouldn't trust her with the Barons. They can't risk it. The less people aware of what is truly happening on the Shore, the better. 

They just hope Brooke knows that, too.

"Anyway. It won't take long. HKD is the easiest one." 

"Are you okay?" Brooke says, releasing her girlfriend to instead reach for them. 

"I'm fine." Still a little startled from… everything that happened not even an hour ago, but they're fine. Everyone's fine. 

It's not like the knowledge that at least three of their own can be incapacitated in a fight with the Cabal is very discomforting. Or Pirrha's strange fear that does not leave their mind. Everything is fine. Everything is  _ fine. _

Everything is not fine. 

They can't show how not fine everything is. Brooke looks so happy and they can't ruin that. That’s the pro of a helmet, they suppose. No one can read their expression if their expression is hidden. 

They sigh. “We should get going. The Wrathborn aren’t exactly going to wait.”

Ashley puts her helmet on. She hasn’t shown any signs of being the Ashley that Crow encountered, but Patch is wary. 

They’re not ready to choose between their friends, but the time they will have to seems to be approaching quicker than expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> l e s b i a n i s m


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is the last finished chapter as of right now. um. shit

“Patch, I gotta, ask, what was that just now?” Crow says. “I’m only connected to your comms, but I’m still confused.”

Patch snorts. They keep their distance from the summoned Wrathborn, letting Brooke and Ashley keep it distracted while they shoot at it with a sniper rifle. It’ll vanish and they’ll track it to HKD, as always. “You say that like I know more,” they mutter as they reload.

“Pirrha couldn’t see?”

“No. He was born blind. He’s got a cybernetic eye. That would also explain why he pretty much never misses. But when the device hit…”

“It didn’t just take out his gun, but also his eye.”

“Rendering him blind,” Patch adds. “I didn’t know that, but I just-... I knew something was off. He doesn’t seem all that great at close combat either, so I ran. If I had been even just a bit slower…”

“He would have died. But Fikrul can bring him back, can’t he?”

Patch reloads again. “I don’t know about the Barons themselves, but the Screebs are merely Scorn who were brought back one too many times. I’d rather not find out how many revives will turn Pirrha into one of those.” They don’t really feel weird about working with the Scorn anymore, but the Screebs still disturb them.

“I didn’t-... That’s…” Crow is at a loss for words.

“You have the right idea, Patch,” Fikrul says, taking over for the still speechless Hunter on the other side of the line. “Thank you. For bringing him back safely.”

“We’re a team now. No one gets left behind.” _“That’s just what friends do, isn’t it?”_

Speaking of which, the Servitor vanishes. Brooke looks at them, and they look back; for an instant it feels like they make eye contact, despite their helmets between them. 

“Let’s go!” Glint calls out over comms.

Ashley is a little slower than Patch or Brooke. The pair immediately jumps on their sparrows to make their way to where HKD always appears, and Ashley follows their example, riding a little ways behind them. Still, she figures it out quickly enough. It has to be the fact that she’s a Warlock. Robin was just as fast as her when it came to his mind.

No one surpasses Patch’s Hunter reflexes. 

Brooke is in the lead. She hops off of her sparrow, already firing at the dregs coming out of the cavern when Patch and Ashley get off. Brooke and Patch work well as a team, but it’s clear they’ve never fought alongside Ashley. Sure, nothing major goes wrong, but Patch nearly stumbles over her as they make their way inside. 

They miss Robin.

The fight itself goes well enough. They finish off the servitor, spawning HKD-1, and the heavy shank is gone with one shot of Ashley’s Nova Bomb.

She giggles, afterward. Patch looks at her in surprise that she is that strong, and she just giggles. 

Brooke is awed, too. “You didn’t tell me you were that strong!” she exclaims at Ashley. 

“What, scared I’ll outdo you?” Ashley shoots back, and it’s weirdly domestic.

Patch feels out of place once more. Brooke only has eyes for Ashley, and Ashley only has eyes for Brooke, and they’re watching. 

They wish they were back in the hideout. At least there, they’re not third-wheeling.

“Never,” Brooke says with a laugh, hooking her arm around Ashley’s shoulder. 

Patch clears their throat. “I should go. Crow probably needs me for… something.”

“Alright. I’ll see you, then,” Brooke says.

Patch nods and transmats away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> grammarly is trying to make me correct "Patch work" into "patchwork", im listening to no thoughts head empty Nintendo music, and im in between classes, debating whether i should watch anime or finish chapter 42 so i dont feel so guilty i cant continue-


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it uh.... its been almost a month huh. huh.

“I don’t need you for anything?” Crow says, confused, when they enter the hideout. Fikrul is standing beside him.

Patch merely pats his shoulder. “I know,” they say softly. “Just didn’t feel like staying with those two. How long were we gone?”

“Twenty minutes or so. I didn’t count.”

They glance at Pirrha. He is still on the couch, his primary arms crossed over his chest. He looks frustrated.

He probably is.

“He hasn’t moved since we got here. Hasn’t talked since you left, either,” Glint says. “He’s just… sitting there. Doing nothing.”

“Well, it’s not like he can do much,” Crow mutters. “This place isn’t exactly built for a blind guy.”

“He’ll be fine,” Elykris says, from where she’s tinkering with something on the table. Clearly it’s nothing big, considering she’s not working on it in her workshop. “Why are you worrying so much?” She looks at Patch, but they don’t really look at her.

They shrug. “It was just weird. I’m not exactly used to seeing Scorn having panic attacks.” Nor humans, for that matter. Robin was always pretty level-headed before Cayde died and Brooke has always been the mom friend. They have never seen her do so much as cry before Robin’s death.

Or maybe they just never cared enough. Maybe they just never noticed. Maybe they should have. 

"It will be alright, Patch," Fikrul says. "It's only temporary. And when the primus shows his face…" 

"You sound so confident we'll win…" Patch sighs. "You wanna tell me you weren't this confident before I killed you?" 

Fikrul is very quiet for a moment. "I was," he admits, finally. "But I didn't know your power. Now you are on our side, are you not?" 

"I am." 

“Well, if the one creature alive who has managed to best us is with us now, I doubt much else can stop us.”

And yet Patch can’t help but wonder. What if the Cabal are stronger than they were, back then? Back then they had Brooke and Robin. Robin is gone and Brooke doesn’t even know half of what’s happening on the Shore. She doesn’t care. Why would she? She has her own things to think about. 

But they have the Scorned Barons now. 

"I guess you're right." They’re just worrying too much. They know. They’ve killed gods. Why would the Cabal, all of a sudden, be stronger than them? And it’s not like the Scorn are weak. They’ve killed plenty. People. Guardians.

Ghosts.

Their gaze slips to Pirrha once more. It’s almost crazy to think of the frightened Baron that latched onto them and refused to let go until they were safe as the same Baron who’s killed Ghosts and Guardians. The same Baron that killed them over and over again, nearly permanently ending them and their fireteam. 

The same Baron who killed the Hunter Vanguard’s Ghost.

Robin would be pissed to know that Patch is now worried for that same Baron, but they can’t bring themself to not to. Even if they wanted to see Sundance’s killer, all they see is someone who trusted them enough to let them guide him. 

“We can do this, Patch,” Glint says. “I believe in us.”

“I know you do,” they sigh, but he’s right. They know he’s right. Everyone is right. Their worries are nonsensical. “I know you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> grammarly describes this chapter as "anxious" and "sad"
> 
> isnt it funny that i started a cabal plotline in this story before i knew of the next season's topic. doesn't it suck that i now have to find a way to connect this plotline to the next season. well i mean i don't have to but i will. its not that difficult i guess.  
> also there was this poll on yt and it was like "what do you think next season's exotic will be" and i answered bow so i guess i can see the future now. i predict i will take another month to finish chapter 43 /j
> 
> ALSO *awkwardly remembers that pirrha has killed a bunch of guardians and ghosts*
> 
> please im a chrollo simp murder is sexy in my brain i guess. who knows. thembo bitch
> 
> yeah our country went back into full quarantine like half a month ago and we just got word that its gonna last til march so uh... im suffering but heyyyyy at least i have more time to ~~yearn for chrollo like the shitty nblm i am~~ write ahahaha


End file.
